Kiss the Cook
by justanormalgirl357
Summary: Harry, Ron, and Hermione take cooking classes over the summer after fifth year. Draco starts thinking for himself, which doesn‘t go over well. Cooking, fire, loos, kisses, betrayal, and secrets. HarryDraco
1. Part One

Title: Kiss the Cook (1/4)  
Rating: PG13  
Length: 9820 words, part 1 of 4  
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama  
Pairings: Harry/Draco and minor Ron/Hermione  
Summary: Harry, Ron, and Hermione take cooking classes over the summer after fifth year. Draco starts thinking for himself, which doesn't go over well. Cooking, fire, loos, kisses, betrayal, and secrets.  
Disclaimer: Not my characters, quotes, or even idea. : ( But my words!  
Note: Written for humpday101 using the prompt 'I think I forgot' (fluff), and hpchallenge with the word 'banana.' The idea of the trio taking cooking classes to get away from things is credited to Remus's Nymph.

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**Kiss the Cook**

_Mothers, food, love, and career, the four major guilt groups. -Cathy Guisewite  
__One cannot refuse to eat just because there is a chance of being choked. -Chinese Proverb _

_Sunday August 4, 1996_

"Harry, Ron! Could you tear yourselves away from the chessboard for two minutes? I understand how hard it is, but I've something to say," Hermione said again, this time mixing a bit of niceness into her sarcastic tone. The two boys simply nodded her way.

"I'm winning here, Hermione. Wait till the game's over." Ron commanded his rook to move, and beamed gleefully when it smashed Harry's last bishop and carried it off the board. Harry sighed heavily, looking sadly at his few remaining pieces. He had absolutely no talent for chess; he couldn't plan moves out like Ron could.

"Harry," she huffed, turning to only face her shorter friend. "Ron always wins. Take some time away from losing for me, please?"

Harry held up a lone finger and quickly moved his pawn, mistakenly, into a spot for Ron's pawn to take. He looked up at Hermione, ignoring Ron's crackling laughing across him.

"Look," her voice was less harsh now that she'd received attention. She handed a flyer to Harry, who glanced at it then at Hermione skeptically. The heading said 'Cooking with Bananas' "Read it, read it," she encouraged.

Harry looked at it in doubt. It read:

**Cooking with Bananas**

Have a flair for cooking? Want to simply try it out? Need something to do this summer?

Then join _Cooking with Bananas_, a new cooking class that uses bananas in every recipe.

**When:** August 5th to August 13th, Monday thru Friday.  
**How long:** Each class is two hours and will consist of making food and eating it.  
**Where:** Clipton High School, the Culinary room. 53 Drafty Lane, Clipton  
**Cost:** 16 pounds  
**Sign up:** at 020 3579336 and ask for Dolly Werner.

Harry snorted and passed it wordlessly to Ron, who was paying attention now that Harry wasn't playing the game. Harry waited until Ron set the flyer on the chessboard before looking into Hermione's hopeful face.

"_Cooking_?" Ron scoffed. "Don't tell me you want us to go to a cooking class?" At Hermione's nod, he whined, "But I don't like cooking. I suck at it, and cooking's for girls."

Hermione glared at him. Harry reached his foot around the game and kicked Ron's leg. He shouldn't have said cooking was for girls, Hermione appeared enormously riffled by it. She had a wild look in her eyes as she announced smugly, "I already spoke to your Mum and she _loves_ the idea. So you're going whether you like it or not."

Ron gaped angrily at her, and then fled out the room and down the stairs.

Hermione smiled sweetly at Harry, who rolled his eyes, knowing that if Ron were being forced to attend Harry would have to. There was no way Ron would let Harry stay at the Burrow while he sat in some school kitchen burning banana-filled foods.

They both turned to the door as angry voices filled the house. Ron must have found Mrs. Weasley, and they were having a shouting match.

"I guess I'll have to if Ron goes," Harry sighed.

Hermione appeared to be debating something as she shifted her feet and bit her lip. Finally, she crossed the room and sat on the floor beside Harry. She patted his knee, and Harry's eyebrows shot up. What was she going to say that warranted a comforting pat? Harry stiffened, hoping it wasn't about Sirius and the Ministry of Magic incident only a few meager months ago. Harry had decided to push the matter as far from his mind as he could. Thinking about it brought too many unwanted emotions.

"None of us can make you go," she said. Harry held his breath as she took a deep breath. "I want to do this to get our minds - all of ours - off what happened at the Ministry. I know you don't want to talk about it Harry but -"

"Then don't," Harry said more sharply then he had intended.

Hermione pulled away slightly. "Fine, I won't. Just think about it, coming that is. I think it will do us all good. Ginny's coming too, so it'll be all four of us."

Harry stared into the encouraging visage of his friend and felt himself giving in. It was only cooking after all. And maybe if he went it would stop Hermione's attempts to talk about Sirius. "I'll go if Ron has too," he said, feeling a smile tug at his lips upon seeing Hermione's joy.

"Great! It'll be so much fun." She suddenly became serious and looked down at him from where she had jumped up. "And I think it'll be good."

Luckily, Ron stormed into the room before Hermione decided to continue. Harry grinned at him but Ron only scowled in return.

"Mum's making me," he announced in distaste. "Said if I complain any more I'll get grounded too." Ron puzzled both of them by perking up at the last word. "Gin's grounded!" He waved absently at Hermione's reproachful look. "No, she was having an attitude with Mum about de-gnoming and had broken Mum's favorite vase." He burst into loud raucous laughter, which stopped abruptly after Ginny walked up behind him and whacked him upside the head.

"Shut it, prat. I'll have you know I'm not grounded." She smirked at Ron. "Mum gave me a choice." She turned to Hermione and smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I know you really wanted all of us to go to that cooking thing, but I can't now."

"Why?" Harry couldn't help but ask. Now it would be uneven. What if they had to work in partners and Harry was stuck with someone unpleasant.

"I had a choice of not going to it or being grounded for two weeks. Mum's really wired up and taking everything to extremes," she explained because of Harry and Hermione's surprised faces. "I didn't want grounded since I told Luna I'd stay at her house for a few days. Well…she doesn't have many people over." She grinned awkwardly.

"That's okay, Ginny. At least you wanted to go and made an effort to," Hermione said, sending a glare in Ron's direction. Ron, for his part, shrugged and looked at Harry, his eyes lighting up.

"That's too bad," Harry said to Ginny, hoping to avoid Hermione raving at Ron. "It would have been nice if you could come." Ginny smiled widely at him but Ron said, "You're going, right Harry?" before Ginny could open her mouth.

"Well, I don't know," Harry started, hoping to make Ron squirm. "It's _cooking_."

Ron's mouth opened in shock. Hermione hid her smile behind her hand and whispered to Ginny, who smiled humorously at Harry.

"But - but, we always do stuff together. And I don't want to go either but - come on! I'll - I'll let you win at chess!" He smiled triumphantly then frowned once he realized what he'd offered.

Harry laughed. "Fine. If I can win chess." He wondered how hard it was for Ron to offer that and if he would actually go through with it.

Ron sulked and sat down in front of the chessboard. Ginny was bent over, barking in laughter and Hermione winked at Harry.

"So, when was the last time you lost, Ron?" Harry questioned, rubbing his hands together.

"It's not like it really counts. I mean, I'm letting you win," Ron said bitterly.

"Still means you lose," Ginny said, slapping Ron on the back before she walked to the door with Hermione at her heels.

"When do we sign up for it?" Harry asked, stopping Hermione in the doorway.

"I already did," was all she said before she followed Ginny down the stairs. Harry and Ron looked at each other.

"How'd you know we would go?" Ron yelled, but she didn't answer.

XxXxX

Draco sat primly, spooning small bits of elf-made food into his mouth, and listening to his parents plan his wedding. Which wouldn't happen for years though that didn't stop Narcissa from bringing it up at least once a week and speaking fondly about how lovely Draco's future bride is getting and how delightful the wedding will be.

Draco usually got through these talks by gritting his teeth and chanting inside his head 'you won't have to marry anyone because once you're of age they can't do anything about it…'

"I was talking to Clare the other day and she showed me a recent picture of Pansy. Her new haircut fits her. She is turning into quite the gorgeous young woman, is she not, Draco?" Narcissa smiled serenely at him. Lucius rolled his eyes good-naturally.

Draco nodded and stabbed his pork harsher than usual. He took a long time chewing as to evade talking.

"You are still dating her, right?" Lucius asked. Draco suspected he had detected his sour mood.

Draco set his fork on his plate unhurriedly and tried to control himself. He was sick of this, of being told what to do and being expected of so many things he didn't want. "I haven't dated her since fourth year," Draco spat before he could stop himself.

Narcissa's eyes widened in alarm while Lucius' narrowed.

"Why not?" he asked dangerously.

Narcissa frowned in concern. "I thought you liked Pansy. You wanted to marry her. That's why we had arranged the marriage -"

"Mother!" Draco snapped, his fingers curling around the edge of the table. "I wanted to marry her when I was nine. When she was one of the few people I talked to." Narcissa looked hurt so Draco continued softly, feeling guilty about bursting at his mother when it was his father that was pressuring him.

"I do like Pansy," Draco started, sliding his hands off the table to curl into fists below it. "Just not like that. We are friends and nothing more."

Narcissa took a large sip of wine. Lucius, on the other hand, was not subdued. He glared down the table at Draco and said, "You will learn to like her. The Parkinson's are a good family to marry into, and we've already set it all up. You _will_ marry the girl."

"Maybe I don't want to take part in some things this family does." Draco sat back in his chair, his eyes straying to Lucius' left forearm. As of lately, Draco had been thinking about what he wanted to do with his future. One thing he didn't want was being put in Azkaban because he followed some homicidal man who couldn't overcome a child.

"I take it you're not only talking about the marriage." Lucius' voice was carefully measured and gave nothing away. Draco felt chilled at the sound of it.

"I've been doing some thinking," Draco replied shortly, picking his fork back up.

"Draco, when I am talking to you, you do not start eating as a way of avoiding it. You brought it up so you must want to talk about it."

Draco placed his fork back on the plate and glanced at Narcissa, whose eyes were wide and bouncing between them as they spoke. She would be no help.

"Tell me. Why don't you want to serve our master?" Narcissa let out a stifled gasp at Lucius' irate words. Draco refrained from looking at her.

He straightened and looked his father in the eye. "I never said that."

"But it's what you were implying."

Draco took a deep breath and stared at the edge of a picture frame behind Lucius' right shoulder. There was no way he would be able to look at him and say what he was about to, but he couldn't simply turn away either.

"I'm undecided. I've seen what he's done to you, to his followers. He didn't even try getting you out of Azkaban. We had to bail you out and Mother had to pull a lot of strings. She _groveled_. And besides, the Dark Lord couldn't even finish off a baby. The other times he hadn't been able to either. I don't want to go onto a losing side," Draco finished, his voice weak in the last sentence as he had looked at Lucius' murderous face. There was so much more he wanted to say but bravery was never one of Draco's strong aspects.

Lucius stiffened and stared at the doorway, collecting himself. Draco looked at his mother to find her oddly flushed. He guessed he shouldn't have mentioned her groveling but it was true. And Malfoy's didn't grovel.

Narcissa held Draco's gaze. Was it his imagination or did she look hopeful?

"It's not for you to decide," Lucius said, turning his head to Draco.

Draco opened his mouth to protest when Narcissa's tentative voice spoke, surprising both of the male Malfoys. Death Eater discussion was strictly kept between the two of them, Narcissa had never interrupted before.

"Let the boy have his own opinions, Lucius. He'll never be his own man if you force your views on him." She avoided their eyes by drinking more of the wine. Draco wondered if she'd had _too_ much wine.

"Narcissa…" Lucius warned

"No," she said, placing the expertly-designed cup down gently. "Draco has made some valid points and if you want him to agree with you, you should talk them out with him. In a nice, non-threatening manner."

Lucius switched his cold eyes from Narcissa to Draco, as if blaming him for having Narcissa on his side.

"Are you saying you want our only son to defy our master and run off carousing with the Order?"

Draco resented that. He opened his mouth to say that just because he might not want to be a Death Eater didn't mean he wanted to join the equally as insane other side, but Narcissa cut him off again.

"No, Lucius. Calm down." For he was seething up a sight. "Would you like to talk about this in private?"

Lucius glanced over at Draco before he nodded and stood, leading the way out of the dinning room. Apparently he didn't want to reveal to Draco how little control he had over his wife. Narcissa stood and gave Draco an encouraging nod before she followed Lucius out of the room. Draco only wished he knew what Narcissa was encouraging.

* * *

_Monday August 5, 1996_

Harry was, suffice to say, slightly excited about going to the cooking class. It wasn't that he wanted to cook, he just wanted to get out of the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley was so stressed that she snapped at everyone and constantly warned them about everything. Harry didn't blame her though. She did have a large family to worry about, and they weren't all in the same place. With Mr. Weasley always at work, Fred and George living at their shop, Charlie in Romania, Bill at Gringotts, and Percy not speaking, she only had two of her family members around.

She was constantly fretting and annoying the four living with her. They didn't tell her, though Ginny and Mrs. Weasley had been having much more arguments than other summers Harry had been there, and Ron had taken to making Harry peep around the corners to make sure his mum wasn't there. Hermione thought it was all ridiculous and they should try to comfort Mrs. Weasley, that is until she snapped at Hermione.

Harry suspected Ron was also glad to be getting out of the house. Ginny was envious about them leaving her behind with Mrs. Weasley if her longing stare at them till they walked out of sight said anything.

"How much longer?" Ron whined as they reached the outskirts of the muggle town nearby. Mrs. Weasley had offered to take them there but with no car, she quickly declined.

"Ron, we've barely been walking for twenty minutes." She sighed heavily but swiped at her brow. It was extremely hot. Ron had started out walking barefoot because he couldn't be bothered to put sweat-inducing shoes on, but the pavement burnt his feet so he had to wear them. Harry's feet, on the other hand, could handle heat and he was enjoying walking barefoot, except for when he stepped on the sharp little rocks.

"How you play Quidditch but can't take a half hour walk…" Hermione mumbled.

Ron was about to snap something back when Harry spotted a large school down the street. "I see it! That's it, right?" he asked eagerly. He hoped they had air condition.

Hermione pointed to the sign in front of it, barely legible from where they were, and nodded. Harry himself couldn't read it. He suspected that perhaps he needed a new prescription. But Ron was squinting at it too so maybe Hermione just had excellent eyesight from reading all those books.

Eventually they reached the school, where Ron found enough energy to run up the stairs and into it. Hermione rolled her eyes and muttered something that sounded like "stupid boy only works when he wants something."

They read the paper posted on the door that told the cooking class that the culinary room was down the right, last door on the left. Harry shoved his shoes on, feet feeling weird with no socks, and trudged after Hermione.

They both sighed as the cool air fell over them, making them gasp at first from the drastic difference. Ron was standing in the middle of the dull hallway surrounded by blue lockers and grinning stupidly.

"This is great," Ron said, waving his arm vaguely around. Harry assumed he was talking about the air condition.

Hermione raised her eyebrows at him. "Wizards have cooling charms."

"Yes, but they're more subtle, not like walking into an ice box." Ron took a deep breath and twirled in a circle, with that stupid grin that appeared to be permanently attached to him. "So, how are we to know where to go?"

"Last door on the left, down the right hallway," Hermione answered promptly then set off down said hallway. Ron gapped at Harry, who decided to let him think Hermione knew everything.

"Come on, Ron." Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him along. They were already late because of Ron and him dragging their feet the whole time.

Hermione waited at the door for them, so they could all walk in together, she said. But Harry thought she just didn't want to walk into a class late without Harry and Ron beside her to blame.

Sure enough, the moment they walked in Hermione smiled in apology at the Professor and said, "I'm sorry. Those two just wouldn't walk."

Ron nudged Harry in the ribs and stuck his tongue out at Hermione's back. Harry was busy looking around and so didn't share in Ron's humor. The inside of the culinary room was much nicer than the hallways. There were ten mini kitchens equipped with appliances like a stove, fridge, microwave, and toaster. The mini kitchens were separated and closed in by counters and shelves that ran around the borders, making each kitchen seem like a closet that had the top half of the wall chopped off.

"That's okay, Hon. We started late anyway. Everyone seems to move slower the hotter the weather gets," a large woman with red cheeks, beady eyes, and warm smile said. She was sitting in the center of the room on a child-sized plastic chair. Around her were five girls and one boy, all sitting on chairs like the Professor's in varying colors.

"Take a seat, take a seat," she said, her voice bubbly as she looked around at the children gathered before her. Hermione smiled widely and took the nearest purple chair. Harry and Ron sat on either side of her.

Hermione elbowed the both of them, looking at the Professor, and smiled. "She seems nice." Ron nodded along with Harry.

"Now, that makes…" the Professor counted everyone by pointing at them. "Nine! We're missing someone. Well, we'll figure out who when we take roll."

"Excuse me," Hermione said, raising her hand. "But that would be Ginny Weasley. She's unable to come at all."

"Aww, well that's too bad." She clapped her hands together. "But life happens and we must move on. I want to get to know all of you so please state your name and why you're here."

She pointed to a Japanese girl who declared herself as Keiko Jong. When she spoke she tipped her head forward so her short black hair fell into her eyes. "I just moved here and was hoping to meet people."

A skinny girl with a sharp face and the ends of her hair dyed pink snorted rudely. The Professor smiled broadly at Keiko and exclaimed loudly, "Great! A new person. How long ago did you move here?"

Keiko's face turned bright red as she mumbled, "A week ago." Harry figured she was extremely shy.

"And where from?"

"Japan." She was bent over so far her chin threatened to bump into her knee. The boy beside her tapped her arm and smiled.

"That's cool. Welcome to Britain. I'm Oliver Albright and I'm here because I hope to be a chef someday." The Professor practically moaned in delight. Ron reached over Hermione to poke Harry.

"He's a ponce," Ron whispered, talking about his pink and yellow striped shirt and how he moved his hands avidly when he spoke. The girl on the other side of Ron, with the pink-ended hair and harsh face, laughed loudly. Hermione shoved Ron back in his seat and gave him a look.

The Professor told Oliver to see her after class about some information in pursuing that career. She nodded at the pink-haired girl, who looked at Oliver skeptically before she said, "Carmen Russel. Here because my parents thought it would do me good. You're turn," she added to Ron.

Ron blinked. "I'm Ron Weasley. I'm here - er - because she and my mum made me," he said, pointing at Hermione. The class laughed as Hermione gave him a withering look.

"At least he's truthful," the Professor said with a deep laugh. Harry was so surprised to hear such a deep sound resounding out of her body that he missed Hermione's introduction and didn't realize it was his turn until Hermione's nails dug into his side.

"Oh! Erm, I'm here because…I'm Harry Potter. Erm, this gets me out of Ron's house." Hermione rolled her eyes and Ron pretended to be hurt. Harry loved the fact that no one looked in recognition at him.

"What's wrong with my house, Harry? Do I bore you that much? Sick of losing to me at chess?" Ron asked, pouting a bit for good measure. The two girls on Harry's left giggled.

"You play chess?" the blond one in pigtails asked. She had a big mouth and seemed to enjoy moving it a lot to speak. "I'm good at that. Once I was pitted against the school chess team and it was my first time ever playing. I hardly knew the rules and all, but I beat every last one of them!"

The girl beside her shook her head wildly. Ron grinned unsurely at her.

"That's not what your friend there says," the pink Carmen said, smiling nastily at Pigtail's friend. "I bet you never even played it."

"She did!" Pigtail's friend piped, pressed into defending by her friend's hurt look. "Just, she only won against the blind kid." She smiled at Pigtails. "But it was an epic win, April, really. You were spectacular."

April smiled and touched her friend's arm, encouraging more out of her when the Professor spoke up with, "And who are you, our chess player?"

"I'm April Bacon and this here is Mary Beecher. We're here so we don't have to baby-sit my annoying little brother." She looked at Harry and Ron. "And to meet cute guys."

Harry decided they reminded him of Parvati and Lavender. Hermione was looking at them with narrowed eyes.

"And I'm Nashira Almeda. My name is a star in the constellation of Capricornus. I'm here because I have nothing better to do." She brushed her thin dirty-blonde hair over her shoulder and smiled at the Professor. "And I'm interested to see how many different foods you can make out of bananas."

The Professor smiled and clapped her hands together. Harry and Ron looked at each other over Hermione, who muttered, "Suck up." That only made them laugh seeing as who had said that.

"Now that we know who all our splendid people are, I'll introduce myself. I'm Dolly Werner. I want all of you to call me Dolly. Not any of that Professor Werner, Madam stuff." She smiled. "I learned the culinary arts abroad in America. Along with owning a restaurant, I decided to teach classes during the summer because I love kids. Though, I guess you wouldn't like to be called kids, eh?" she said to the class, where the majority was scrunching their noses. "Love to teach teens. That better?"

She carried on talking about bananas and why she choose them of all foods for the theme. Hermione sat attentively. Harry was interested at first. Who knew bananas where good for all that stuff? They are one of the quickest ways to cure hangovers, except for magic, can get rid of warts and bug bites, and help people giving up smoking, along with many other things that Harry tuned out to, instead, study everyone's shoes.

"Now, there is no cooking today as this took up most of our two hours, but you get to sample a Banana cream pie I made this morning, so come up, gather around."

The word food woke Harry from his daydream and sent Ron leaping to the counter. Oliver was the first one there and was cutting pieces off and handing them to everyone.

"Thanks," Harry said while Ron scowled.

"I could have gotten my own," he mumbled to Harry. Hermione swatted him on the arm.

Everyone retook their seats to eat the banana cream pie. It was smooth and delicious. Even Ron was slightly excited about attending the next day, if only to eat food.

XxXxX

Last evening his parents hadn't returned so Draco retired to his room. He'd spent most of the next day in there too, not wanting to get into an argument with Lucius. Eventually he became hungry and set off down the curving staircase. His mother forbade eating anywhere in the manor besides the kitchen and dining rooms.

A knock sounded from the door when Draco reached the bottom of the stairs. He watched curiously as one of their house elves appeared at the door and opened it to a beefy man with sallow skin. Draco recognized him as one of Lucius' cousins.

"Why Draco, where might I find your father?" he asked in a gruff voice.

Draco silently pointed at the house elf holding her hands out for the man's hat. Draco left with the elf's squeaky voice in his ears.

"Follow me, Sir. Follow Hoksy, Sir. She show you to Master."

Draco wondered if he could find a spell to change house elves' voices for the better. He sat at the kitchen island and ordered another house elf for eggs and bacon.

When he finished eating, the kitchen door opened and Lucius walked in, his cousin at his heels. Narcissa trailed behind them. Lucius and Draco stared at each other, neither one looking away or talking.

Finally Lucius said, "Tristen was telling me about his son's friend that is attending a cooking class."

That was so far away from what Draco expected him to say that he could only blink and peer at all the faces in the room. Narcissa looked just as surprised as he felt.

"He also tells me," Lucius continued, "that Harry Potter is in the class."

Potter in a cooking class? Draco almost snorted with laughter. He could just see Potter cooking stroganoff and burning the whole kitchen to a crisp.

But, wait…why were they telling him this?

"Are you saying you want me to -"

"Take the class, yes," Lucius finished.

Draco's mouth fell open and he looked at Narcissa, hoping for her to come to his rescue like the other day, but she only smiled and nodded. Lucius must have talked her into siding with him.

"No way. I refuse to take some stuffy cooking class." Draco stomped his foot on the ground in one quick jab. He wasn't going to stand for everything they threw at him. And this - this was just insane.

"You don't get to choose, Draco," Lucius said coldly. His cousin smirked. "This is your punishment for your disobedience yesterday. Your task is to gather any information you can on Potter and to do more of that thinking about things you seem to like. You will see our way and come back. Though, if you don't have anything to offer us we might not let it slide so easily."

He stalked out the door. Tristen raised his eyebrows at Draco and said, "My son doesn't give me any troubles like that. Maybe you need to be stricter." Narcissa waved him off with a sour look on her face.

"That man. I've never like him. As impolite as they come. Doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut." She looked at Draco and sighed heavily. "Draco, I know you don't want to go, but your father is very set on it, it appears. Who knows, maybe it'll do some good." She gave him a look that Draco didn't understand.

"But I don't want to go!"

"Draco," she said sternly, stopping him from objecting any longer. "Be a good son." She stroked his hair fondly then left.

Draco glowered at the shutting door. He took his anger out by yelling at the house elf for making awful food.

XxXxX

Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked in the Burrow, almost bumping into Mrs. Weasley, who was standing right at the door.

"You're all okay?" she asked, reaching out and brushing Ron's bangs out of his face.

"Yes, Mum," Ron sighed, moving out of her hands but less harshly than he had been lately. "It's good. Nothing weird happened. No one attacked us, and we ate some scrumptious banana cream pie."

Hermione smiled and patted Mrs. Weasley on the arm. She grinned softly at the three of them then darted off to the kitchen to make supper.

"Mum's losing it," Ron whispered. Hermione shoved him at the steps and whispered harshly, "Don't speak about your mother like that."

"But it's true," Ron moaned, stopping at the landing to bang on Ginny's door. "We're back," he called at Ginny's inquiring of whom it was.

The door flung open to reveal an angry looking Ginny, her red hair falling around her face. "Good!" She grabbed Ron's arm and tugged him in. Harry and Hermione followed. "Mum's gone crazy! She sent me to my room just because I wanted to go down and walk with you lot here."

"Oh, I imagine she thought it would be unsafe," Hermione said sympathetically. "I mean, before I got her to agree that it was a good thing for Ron to go, I had to convince her by saying we'd carry our wands with, and Harry or I would send out a patronus to her if we got attacked."

"You had to convince her?" Ron frowned at Hermione. "She didn't even want me to go in the first place? I could have not went!"

"I'd gladly trade places with you," Ginny said wistfully. "How was it? What'd you do?"

"It was okay. She mainly talked forever about bananas. Banana this, banana that," Ron mocked. Ginny looked pointedly at Harry and Hermione.

"It's true," Harry supplied.

Hermione shook her head wearily. "It was very fascinating. Did you know bananas can help get rid of warts?"

Ginny grimaced. "No offense, but that's icky. And don't lecture me about bananas!" For Hermione had opened her mouth, an intellectual gleam in her eyes. Ron laughed when she snapped her mouth shut with a short glare.

"I wasn't going to," she said unpersuasively.

"Uh-huh. So what else did you do?"

"We played a get-to-know-everyone game," Harry said. Ginny looked in interest at him so he explained, "The first person named a food and the next person repeated it and said one of their own, and so forth…Actually," He turned to Ron and Hermione. "How'd that get us to know each other?"

"I don't know," Ron said. Hermione agreed. "But she had the best banana cream pie! It's to die for." Ron quieted and swayed with a look of ecstasy on his face. Hermione tried to conceal a grin as she watched him.

"That good, eh?" Ginny asked, leaning forward and poking him out of his daydream.

"It was good," Hermione said.

"Oh! What about the people there?" Ginny looked at Hermione and winked. "Any cute guys?"

Ron frowned. "There was only one other bloke besides us, and he's as gay as a bendy straw."

"I like those," Harry mussed. "No! Those one that are all circular and curly, those are neat."

Ron laughed. Hermione and Ginny shook their heads at them.

"Well, was he cute?" Ginny insisted, prompting Hermione with a large grin.

A blush coated Hermione's nose. The smile slipped off Ron's face like stinksap. "I guess he's not bad to look at." Ginny collapsed into a fit of giggles and Hermione's smile widened. "He has these beautiful, striking blue eyes. Kind of like Ron's but more vibrant."

Ginny groaned. "Eww, well that just ruined it for me. Now he just looks like Ron in my head. Thanks a lot, Hermione." She laughed at Ginny's reaction, which cut off short at Ron's hostile voice.

"I thought he looked poncy. And butt-ugly. Didn't he, Harry?" He rounded on Harry, who held up his hands and backed down on Ginny's bed. The owner of the bed skipped over and sat beside him.

"This is going to be a dozy," she whispered in Harry's ear. He nodded.

"Should we try to break it up before it starts?" But Ginny shook her head passionately and whispered back, "Maybe Ron'll get a clue for once." Harry doubted it.

"It's not nice to talk about other people behind their back. Especially if you don't know anything about them," Hermione spoke tersely, her cheeks flaring up in anger.

Ron had the grace to look embarrassed, but he shrugged and said, "I know enough."

"What - what do you know that warrants that rudeness?"

Ron opened and closed his mouth a few times, obviously trying to think of something quickly. Harry wished he could toss him a lifeline but he didn't want to get in the middle of it. And beside, he thought Oliver had seemed nice, a bit too eager but nice.

"Well, you think he's _cute_!" Ron exclaimed wretchedly.

Hermione froze and stared at him calmly. "What does that speak to you?"

Harry watched Ron's brow crease in confusion, and he thought he wasn't going to get it. Ginny seemed to think so too for she made an incredulous click of her tongue. But then Ron's eyes widened and he looked at Hermione.

"That I like you?" He started the sentence with no question but quickly tilted the last word to make it into one. Hermione rubbed her face and that redness was still on her nose, though Harry didn't think it was from being angry anymore.

Ginny snorted and buried her face into Harry's sleeve to stifle her giggles. Harry smiled down at her. Ron looked over at them, his blush spreading from his ears down his neck.

"Do you want to talk? Away from them?" Ron asked, turning to Hermione, who nodded briskly and waited for Ron to leave the room before she shared a small grin with Ginny.

Once the door shut, Ginny pulled away from Harry and burst out in laughter. "You know what I just realized?"

"What?" Harry moved away from her slightly; she was quite insane sometimes.

She smiled comically. "During those cooking class and the walks to and fro - oh the walks - you'll be stuck with them!" Harry groaned.

* * *

_Tuesday August 6, 1996_

Draco was angry. He didn't want to wear scratchy muggle clothes, drive in a muggle car (the fact that it was magically advanced didn't count), but mostly he didn't want to be going to a muggle cooking class to make muggle foods with muggles - and Potter.

This was all Potter's fault. If Potter wasn't in the class Draco wouldn't be going there. On the other hand, he could blame it on his second cousin's friend, of whom he didn't know.

"Who's David's friend?" Draco asked his mother, who was sitting beside him in the back of the mini limo.

Narcissa rapped her head in thought. "It was a weird name. Nashura or Nashirka. Something like that."

"Is she a muggle?" Draco's lips curled instinctively into a sneer.

"You know, I don't know."

Draco sighed. "I hate this."

Narcissa patted his hand. Draco pulled it back roughly. "I know, Draco, but make the best of this." She widened her eyes at him and gave him the same encouraging look she had the evening she said he could have his own views.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Draco asked irritably.

Narcissa gave him a soft glare that didn't quite mask her hurt. "Now, Draco! Don't talk to your mother like that. I gave birth to you, you know. Hours of excruciating labor."

Draco replied shortly, "They have spells for that."

"Here we are! Off you go, now. Be good. Make me proud." She leaned across him and opened the door. She even went as far as to push him out. Draco gawked in surprise as she blew him a kiss.

Frantically Draco inquired, "Just how am I to go about doing that?" But Narcissa shut the door with a loud slam, and before he knew it, the limo had drove off, a bellow of dust the only sign that it had been there.

Draco sighed and looked at his watch. He waited impatiently for the dragon to dissolve into the background so he could read it, but it was being stubborn. Draco peered around to make sure no one was in seeing distance before he pulled his wand out and prodded it. The dragon let out a shrill snarl and moved behind the numbers.

Great. He was half an hour late. Usually he liked to make a grand entrance and would have taken full advantage of it but he didn't care about muggles. Potter was the only other wizard and he didn't care about making a grand impression around him either.

Draco walked in the school to be surprised by the rush of cold air. He'd felt muggle cooling devices before but it always surprised him. He didn't like how it was so sudden instead of taking it slowly. He looked up and down the empty hallway. He didn't know where the room was. Silently he cursed his mother for not finding information out for him.

Then he heard yelling from the hallway to the right and set down there. Wouldn't it be funny if Potter had set the room on fire? In fact, if that was the case Draco might kiss him since he wouldn't have to go to the classes.

Well, maybe not kiss him. That was a bit drastic. Perhaps he'd be nice to him for a week when they got back to school.

He reached for the door when it slammed open and hit him on the head. Draco scowled and rubbed at the tender sore.

"Oh! Gods, I'm sorry! I didn't know anyone was - _Malfoy_?"

Draco smirked as he looked into the flabbergasted face of Harry Potter. It was almost worth it to be hit by a door just to see his face. Almost.

"Watch where you're going, scarhead," Draco seethed.

Potter jumped as if scalded - which was a rather big reaction to Draco's small insult - and dashed across the hall. "Fire extinguisher!"

"What?" Draco asked in curiosity as he watched Potter pull a red container off the wall and struggled with it for a moment.

"I caught the kitchen on fire," he explained. "Help me, would you?"

Draco gasped. "I'm _not_ kissing you," he said before he even knew he was speaking. Did he actually say that aloud?

Potter stopped struggling with the fire extinguisher for a moment. "Erm, that's good, Malfoy. Because I wouldn't want you to." He stared at Draco, who stared right back. "At least open the door, would you?"

Grudgingly Draco held the door opened for him, the screams louder now. He leaned away as the brunette stumbled by, almost ramming into him. Draco shoved him with two fingers to nudge him into walking faster.

"Stop it, I don't have a good grip on -" The rest of his sentence was droned out by the clattering of the fire extinguisher falling to the tile floor. Draco snorted behind Potter's back.

"Smooth, Potter," Draco said sarcastically, humor leaking into his voice.

Potter turned around and glowered at him. "I told you!"

But before Draco could say anything back, a large woman rushed over and picked up the fire extinguisher. She ran to a small fire that was slowly climbing up the wall and cabinet behind a stove, licking at the ceiling. Draco watching in fascination as she swept the nozzle back and forth along the base of the fire, white foam spewing forth. Magic was so much easer. And faster.

"Well, we really need to get a new one in this room" she said. The area was absolutely quiet except for two girls three kitchens over from the one that had caught fire. They were whispering wildly between each other.

"Sorry?" Weasley said after being prodded by Granger. Why was Draco surprised to find them there? If Potter was somewhere, they were. It was like a package, you get one you get all.

"No, no, Ron. It's fine. You and Harry'll just have to pay for the damage is all." The Professor smiled in apology at them. Granger was looking suspiciously at Draco. Weasley appeared to have not seen him yet as he wasn't snarling. "The school will make you, not me. Accidents happen, I always say. Once I burnt down the kitchen at my restaurant. Quite funny except it cost a bundle to fix." She laughed heartily though no one else did. Everyone seemed too shocked by the fire.

Draco took the time to look around. The mini kitchens were pitiful but he guessed okay…for muggles. Besides the two girls, who were still talking to each other, of whom Draco decided he didn't like, were a group of two other girls, who had stayed in their kitchen. The one with dirty blonde hair and a mischievous grin looked as if she was going to laugh while the other (Japanese, Draco guessed) was covering her mouth. Leaning over the counter to see the damage and snicker was a skinny girl with the ends of her hair dyed pink. Behind her was the only bloke besides Potter and Weasley, and who was looking at Draco in curious interest.

The large lady glanced over at Potter and Draco, her face lighting up. "And you must be Draco! I talked to your mum on the phone yesterday. Welcome, welcome," she bubbled, rushing over and shaking his hand. Potter raised his eyes questionably at him before he slipped away to Granger and Weasley. The latter was glaring at him in surprise. Draco nearly smiled.

Draco was silent as the Professor continued talking. "I'm Dolly Werner, call me Dolly. You're a bit late aren't you? Well, no matter." She waved her hand absently when Draco started to explain. "Now this is Mary and April," she said, pointing to the two girls, both of which stopped whispering to give him a little wave after each of their names were called.

"And that there is Keiko." She barely nodded. "And in the same kitchen is -"

"Nashira Almeda," she said, grinning at him. "The reason you're here. Nice to meet you. My friend - your cousin, right? - has told me about you."

Draco smiled slowly. He was tempted to say it wasn't because of her that he was there but because he'd defied his father, but decided he didn't want to get into it. "I can assure you nothing he has said is true," he replied smoothly. David didn't like him and therefore liked to make up stories about him.

Nashira's grin widened. "Good, cause if they weren't I would be slightly apprehensive to meet you." Weasley snorted loudly and Draco watched with satisfaction as Granger nudged him, successfully making him fall silent.

"And the one who snorted is Ron and the other boy Harry, the now infamous fire starters," Dolly spoke. They both flushed though neither stopped glaring. Draco sneered at them. "The girl beside them's Hermione and beside their kitchen are Carmen and Oliver."

Carmen looked over and gave him a tentative smile. Oliver's smile slipped off but then he was walking over, and his smile was back on.

"Oliver Albright. Nice to see you here." He held out his hand. That prompted Mary and April to converse quickly and quietly, shooting the pair of them funny looks. Draco looked down at Oliver's hand then at his clothes. He had a smear of nutmeg on his cheek and his shirt had red, girly flowers twisting on it.

"Pleasure." He didn't take the hand.

"Let's see. We're making banana rice pudding. You can work with one of them since they have to restart theirs." She pointed to Potter, Weasley, and Granger, all of whom looked upset to be split up. Or maybe because one of them has to work with Draco.

Dolly pulled the three friends out of their kitchen and pointed to two clean ones. "Take those two and have fun!" she called before she went over to Mary and April, who were having trouble boiling their food.

Draco swaggered over to the gryffindors. The three of them were having a whispered conversation about who would be stuck with Draco.

Weasley grabbed Granger's hand and pouted at Potter, who sighed heavily and nodded his head. But then Granger made eye contact with Draco and said something that made Potter's eyebrows rise and Weasley sputter. She walked into the kitchen beside her friends and beckoned Draco over. Draco, surprised that Granger had willingly agreed to work with him, hesitated before he walked over. Weasley shot him a suspicious look.

After a few minutes of being amused by watching Granger open her mouth to say something then shutting it and frowning, Draco became annoyed and snapped, "What?"

He smiled in satisfaction as she jumped. "Well, I've no idea why you're here. Though," She paused in putting ingredients in the pot to peer at him. "I'm guessing you're not here by choice."

"Damn bloody right." He was still upset about that.

Granger winced but continued. "Look, you probably know all that happened at the ministry what with your father being there, and I know you don't care about Harry, but please don't say anything about that to him." Draco stared disbelievingly at her while she looked over at Potter. "Especially not Sirius. Please? I'm asking nicely."

"I don't see why I should. There's nothing in it for me," he drawled, looking over at Potter talking to Weasley, scathing remarks that were sure to get under his skin already coming to mind.

"You'll pay for it."

Draco smirked. "What could you, a Mudblood, do to me?"

"Remember when I punched you back in third year? I've been itching to do that again." She tossed the banana slices in the pot and stirred it with a large wooden spoon. Draco scowled at her but kept quiet.

XxXxX

"Do you think she fancies him?" Ron said in a voice pitted low enough for only Harry to hear.

"Who?" Harry asked as he pulled out the ingredients, handing the banana to Ron to slice.

"Hermione!" He slammed the knife into the banana harden then was necessary. Harry winced.

"Fancy who? You? You are dating now."

Ron scowled and pointed at Hermione and Malfoy. She said something that made his face pale even more than it was normally. Harry cheered for her in his head.

"Hermione fancy Malfoy. Are you kidding, Ron? Have you gone around the bend?" Harry stared in amazement at Ron, who had taken to scowling at Harry now. "No one in their right mind would fancy Malfoy."

Ron dumped the wonkily chopped banana slices into the pot and turned the stove on. "Didn't Parkinson date him? Girls must see something in that ferret. What if Hermione sees it?"

"Like I said, no one in their _right mind_ would fancy Malfoy." He must have said that louder than intended for Malfoy glanced across the counter separating their kitchens and said, "Is that so?"

"Yeah, it is," Harry answered stiffly.

"Maybe it is, but no one with a mind would fancy you." Malfoy smiled cheerily and turned back to his and Hermione's rice pudding. Harry caught Hermione's eye roll. He didn't understand what Ron was worried about. It was obvious Hermione had no positive feelings for Malfoy, and she could very well handle herself.

By the end of the class, Ron was still ranting about his girlfriend liking Malfoy and Harry had taken to trying to convince him that she didn't. But mostly he was trying to convince Ron he needn't bring it up to Hermione. Harry had enjoyed them not arguing after they'd gotten together yesterday thru to today and didn't want to see it gone.

"Look Ron, Hermione doesn't like Malfoy at all and…don't mention that you think she does," he whispered into Ron's ear as they tried their banana rice pudding that looked much more like liquid than everyone else's. "Ugh! This is nasty." He looked over the counter at Hermione and Malfoy's. Theirs was chunky. "And gloopy."

Malfoy leaned over to peer at their food. He laughed before taking a bite of his and moaning in pleasure. Harry glared at him, his eyes drawn to the small glob of rice pudding on Malfoy's lip. His tongue peaked out and swiped the stray bit away.

_Rice_ pudding! Harry stared at their food. The -

"I think I forgot to add the rice," Ron grumbled, pushing his bowl away. He had been the one in charge of tossing the ingredients in the pot.

Sure enough, the rice was still in the measuring cup sitting forgotten on the counter.

XxXxX

Ron had managed to not utter anything about his speculation of Hermione and Malfoy for the entire walk home, though it was obvious he was itching to say something because his feet shifted awkwardly, his eyes darted everywhere, and he kept opening and closing his mouth. Once they reached the door to the Burrow Harry thought Ron wasn't going to say anything at all. But Harry had thought too soon.

"What's with you and Malfoy?" he blurted, his voice hard.

Hermione stared at him then looked to Harry, who passed a hand over his face and leaned against the doorway.

"What do you mean?" she asked calmly. Harry was surprised she didn't have a trace of anger in her voice. He would have bit something back if someone had used that tone on him.

"You wanted to work with Malfoy. Harry had agreed he would and then you went 'no, I am.' And then you were whispering to him!" Ron stomped his foot on the ground, his eyes flashing.

Hermione shook her head in irritation. "I was telling him something. I'm sure you're familiar with the process, Ronald. You and Harry whisper together. Does that mean you two have something going on? Huh?"

Harry frowned. He hated being brought into their arguments.

Ron flustered around for words before he said, "That's different. Harry and I are friends. And we're both blokes. You're not a bloke -"

"Well spotted," she cut in acidly.

"That's - I meant - Err!"

The door opened, almost hitting Harry, but he jumped away in time. It reminded him of when he opened the door in Malfoy's face. He had been so worried about the fire that he never took the time to be satisfied about that. Harry grinned, remembering Malfoy's face and him rubbing his head. He had opened the door rather hard. Then he remembered Malfoy's strange kissing comment. That was weird.

"What were you grinning about?" Ginny asked as she surveyed the arguing Ron and Hermione with him. "Surely not these two. If so, you need some help. They're bloody annoying."

"Hey!" Ron shouted at her as she had directed the last sentence to them. Hermione looked in hurt at her.

"Well, you are." She turned to Harry. "Now what are they arguing about?"

Harry went to speak when Ron and Hermione walked between them and into the house, not once pausing in their tirade.

"Did she say something about Malfoy? What's he got to do with it?" Ginny sat on the step, Harry followed.

"Malfoy's in the cooking class," he grumbled. Ginny gasped. Harry nodded. "I opened the door into his head," Harry said proudly.

"Wait, wait, wait. Why's _Malfoy_ in a _muggle_ _cooking_ class?"

Harry frowned. "Good question. This Nashira girl said something about it being her fault."

"Maybe he got in trouble and that was his punishment." Ginny paused. "So what's he got to do with Ron and Hermione?"

"Hermione went and worked with him, and now Ron thinks she fancies him." Ginny scoffed. "I know."

Ginny shook her head in disgust. "I swear I'm not related to him. He's so clueless. And stupid." Harry said nothing out of loyalty to his friend.

"Oh! Ron and I started a fire." Ginny perked up. "I forgot to turn the burner off and Ron tossed a rag over there. Well, it landed on it and we didn't know till there was a fire." Ginny laughed appreciably.

Five minutes later the yelling in the house quieted down. Harry hoped they were still on talking basis. He looked over at Ginny. Ginny was trustworthy. She wouldn't tell anyone, though Harry wasn't sure why he didn't want anyone to know. But it was bothering him; he couldn't figure out why Malfoy had said that.

"After I hit him with the door and told him about the fire, Malfoy said something…odd," Harry started tentatively.

Ginny looked over at him, her features softened. "Oh, Harry. Don't mind what Malfoy says. He's a jerk and nothing he says is even worth listening to. He probably even -"

"He said he wasn't going to kiss me," Harry blurted to cut Ginny's sure to be ramble off.

Ginny blinked. "Oh." She blinked again and rubbed her knee. "Why'd you ask him to kiss you?"

Harry gaped, too lost for words. "I - he - _What_? I didn't ask him to kiss me. Why would you even think that? Why would I even say that?"

"Oh," Ginny sighed, relieved. "Then why'd he say it?"

"That's what makes it odd." Harry stared off into the darkening sky, pondering. It looked like it was going to storm soon. The Weasleys' chickens were all flocking into their coop and there was no wind.

"And if you knew why, it wouldn't be weird?" Her eyes lighted up and she let out a bark of laughter. "Hey! Maybe he wants to kiss you and was trying to convince himself he didn't!"

She almost fell off the step in laughter. Harry watched her clutch her stomach and slouch forward, but he didn't think it was very funny. It was just…weird.

XxXxX

When the mini limo picked Draco up after cooking class the only person in it was the anonymous driver. When he got home one of the house elves told him his parents were at a cocktail party and wouldn't be home until late that evening. Since Draco had no one to complain to he sent Pansy an owl telling her to floo over. He then spent the next hour complaining and the last hour listening to Pansy talk about every fascinating thing she's done over the summer before he couldn't take her happy stories anymore and made her leave, saying he had a headache. Of course, then it took half an hour to reassure her that he was fine and she could leave.

Late that evening he heard his parents coming home. Their slightly intoxicated speech traveled up the stairs and through the crack under his door. Blearily, he listened to them until their voices lulled him to sleep.

"Draco…Draco, darling are you up?" a voice floated through Draco's sleep-fuddled mind. Draco rolled over in his bed and cracked an eye open.

"Hmm, wha'?" Draco mumbled.

"How was the class?" Narcissa asked, stroking his hair and sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Ugg," he said groggily. "I got hit in the face by a door and told that no one in their 'right mind' would fancy me. And I had to work with Mudblood." Talking had woken him up and he sat, watching his mother down a small glass bottle of purple hangover potion.

"Aww, darling. Should have figured his friends would be there. So," she stopped to hiccup, "who did the other stuff?"

"Potter," Draco grumbled, flopping ungracefully back into a laying position. Now that Draco had the chance to complain he was too tired to. And Narcissa reeked of alcohol.

Narcissa sighed and clumsily patted his knee. She squeezed it and said, "You don't want to be a Death Eater, do you?"

Draco gaped. "I never said that! I just said I was doing some thinking."

Narcissa waved her hand absently. "Yes, well, this could come in handy." At Draco's raised eyebrows, she leaned forward and whispered into his ear, "It's _Harry Potter_. He has the _Order_ on his side. Get in with him and you'll have protection." She sat straight and gazed thoughtfully at him. "Or you could just try to brave it on your own. That wouldn't last long though."

"So, you're saying you wouldn't let me live here if I decided not to?" He waved at the air in front of him, trying to rid of Narcissa's breath.

"Your father wouldn't allow it." She stood and walked to the door. "Just think about it."

"Mother," Draco started, stopping her at the half open door. "How long till the hangover potion kicks in?"

"Darling, it's a _hangover_ potion. It doesn't get rid of the tipsiness." She chuckled and shut the door. Draco listened to her uneven footsteps fading down the hall. He fluffed up his pillow and laid on his side. There was no way he would ask Potter for help. His mother really was pissed. And beside, he hadn't decided either way.


	2. Part Two

Title: Kiss the Cook (2/4)  
Rating: PG13  
Length: 6799 words, part 2 of 4  
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama  
Pairings: Harry/Draco and minor Ron/Hermione  
Summary: Harry, Ron, and Hermione take cooking classes over the summer after fifth year. Draco starts thinking for himself, which doesn't go over well. Cooking, fire, loos, kisses, betrayal, and secrets.  
Disclaimer: Not my characters, quotes, or even idea. : ( But my words!  
Note: Written for humoday101 using the prompt 'I think I forgot' (fluff), and hpchallenge with the word 'banana.' The idea of the trio taking cooking classes to get away from things is credited to Remus's Nymph.

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* * *

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_Wednesday August 7, 1996_

The next day, Draco arrived at the school early. Narcissa seemed to think it would make up for him being late last time. All it meant was that he had to sit with Oliver since he was the only other person that was there. The Professor, Dolly, wasn't even there.

During the car ride Draco didn't know what to expect from Narcissa. He expected her to say something about last night, let it be denial or anything, but instead, she hadn't said a thing. Draco wondered if she was more smashed than he'd thought and didn't remember their little chat.

"You eat a lot," Oliver said. That bit drifted into Draco's conscience. He snapped his body towards Oliver, intent on retorting back, when he realized that if he did the bananas he had been inhaling would spill out. Oliver seemed to get his message anyway because he held his hands up defensively and apologized, "I didn't mean you're fat, or anything." He reached out and clutched Draco's sleeve-clad arm. "You're quite skinny, actually. I just meant you've been eating a lot of bananas. Didn't have lunch?"

Draco was glaring daggers at Oliver's hand, which was still grabbing his arm. He pulled his arm away roughly, nearly tipping himself off the stool.

"What? Are you one of those people who don't like to be touched? My dad's like that…You look like a chipmunk." He smiled and pointed at Draco's cheeks. Draco was frantically trying to chew faster and swallow his overload of bananas, but he had bitten off more than he could chew apparently.

Draco breathed harshly out of his nose and swiveled around in his chair. Where was everyone else? He couldn't take another minute of Oliver and his happy talkativeness. Finally, Draco swallowed his food, his throat protesting against it, and he pushed the remaining bananas away, not wanting to eat another one ever again.

Draco pulled his sleeve back and looked at his watch. Luckily, the dragon was curled asleep at the bottom so Draco could read that it was fifteen minutes to one. Only fifteen minutes and the class would start. Two hours and fifteen minutes and he would be out of the class.

"Wow!" Oliver breathed in Draco's ear, leaning over his shoulder and peering at his watch. The dragon was uncurling and blowing fire at the hour hand.

Draco huffed in irritation. "Must you be so nosy?" He stood up and walked over to the window. Dolly was getting out of her car. "Thank Merlin," he sighed; he wouldn't be alone with Oliver anymore. Of course, the Professor was bubbly, which was almost as bad.

"'Thank Merlin?' That's an odd saying," Oliver spoke from behind him. Draco almost jumped. What was with the boy being so close to people and touching them when he talked? Now that Draco thought about it, he had been like that to the Carmen girl he was partnered with yesterday.

Before Draco could reply, Dolly walked in, drowning under bags, and Oliver dashed over to help. Shortly after that, everyone else started arriving. The three Gryffindors walked in a few minutes before one. Weasley glared at him, and Granger rolled her eyes at Draco's sneer. Potter didn't even look at him. Stupid Potter, Draco thought. He hoped he wouldn't have to work with Granger again.

Luckily for Draco, he became paired with Nashira, his cousin's friend and one of the people he had to thank for him being there, bent over the counter, measuring out three fourths of butter for a banana streusel coffeecake. He was still sour about having had to spend twenty minutes with the highly annoying Oliver.

"You know, you don't have to pack the butter in like that. It's just an approximation. Doesn't have to be exactly three fourths," Nashira said, yanking the cup out of Draco's hand and scraping the butter out into the bowl. "Here, measure the sugar. One and a half cups."

Draco grumbled and poured it, spilling a lot on the plastic counter. The kitchens were so cheep looking.

"So," Nashira said, "what do you know of them?" She pointed to the two kitchens at the far end of the room. Potter and Granger were working together while Weasley was paired with Keiko.

"How come you're not working with the Japanese girl?" Draco questioned, not wanting to talk about the Gryffindors.

Nashira rolled her eyes and shot a disdainful look at Keiko. "Her? Oh, she's so quiet. Doesn't speak a word. Besides, I only worked with her because she was the only other person not partnered. I want to work with you. David told me about you." She grinned mischievously.

"Spread it better," she said. Draco looked down at the pan he had been spreading the mixture of food into. It wasn't even at all. Draco hated cooking. He'd never cooked before. He never even handled food that wasn't cooked, except for cookie dough because he liked that uncooked. He had house elves for that kind of stuff.

"I never cooked before," he answered defensively.

Nashira grinned and spared him a humorous glance before going back to making the batter as smooth and even as possible. "That much is obvious."

Draco scowled. "I have hou- people to do that for me," he said, changing mid sentence. He didn't know if Nashira knew about magic and house elves, let alone if she was a muggle.

Nashira nodded absently and pushed the pan in the oven. She propped herself up on the counter and surveyed Draco. "You mean house elves?" she whispered, her eyes lighting up. "David's told me all about magic so you can say anything you want," she explained for Draco's eyes had widened.

"Then yes, house elves."

"What are they like?" she asked, patting the counter beside her. Draco hopped up and proceeded to tell her about them and how annoying they are with their squeaky voices. But Nashira wasn't satisfied with that. She soon had Draco telling about every house elf in the manor. Only, Draco couldn't tell them apart and was probably explaining the same one a couple times.

"And then there was this one we had a few years ago. I think his name was Dopey -"

"Like in _Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs_?" Nashira asked, her legs swinging up and back to hit the cupboard, making the door bang loudly.

"Um, sure. What's that?" He shook his head. Really, he didn't care. "Well, Potter freed that one. Tricked my father into giving it a sock." For a good measure he turned to glare at Potter, finding him already looking at him.

Nashira's eye lit up as she watched Draco scowl at Potter and him sneering before turning back to Granger. "David says you two go to school together."

"Unfortunately," he said bitterly.

"Don't get along, eh?" she laughed. She hopped off the counter and grabbed two potholders. As she pulled the pan out of the oven, she asked, "Why don't you like him?"

"He's insufferable, annoying, self-centered, and a git. He hangs out with the likes of that know-it-all Mudblood and dirt like the Weasleys. And he always gets everyone's attention. _Perfect Potter_. Do you know he became a seeker in first year? It's insane. And everyone just likes him because he's famous. I wonder if he knows that…" he trailed off and watched Potter talking to a distressed Granger.

"So you instantly hated him because he's famous?" She jumped back on the counter and handed him a paper plate with a slice of their warm coffeecake. Draco bit into it and moaned. He might have said he didn't want to eat another banana but this was scrumptious.

"No," he said after he swallowed. "I…it's stupid really," he mumbled, just realizing now that his reason for hating Potter at first was juvenile.

"What?" she encouraged, nudging him with her shoulder.

"He declined my offer of friendship." Draco look a big bit out of the cake to avoid replying to anything Nashira would say.

"Offer? That sounds…awkward." She laughed, her leg hitting the cupboard door again.

"What do you mean?"

"Nothing. So, you don't like him because he wouldn't be your friend. Hmm, here I thought it might have something to do with him defeating Voldemort way back when, what with your parents being Death Eaters." She almost fell off the counter at the sight of Draco's gobsmacked face.

"How much did David tell you?"

"Everything, I believe. He fancies me, you know. Thinks if he tells me stuff I'll like him back."

"So, you don't?"

"Nope. Just as a friend. Hey! Looks like 'know-it-all Mudblood's' not so much of a know-it-all after all." She pointed over to her and Potter. Potter was loyally trying to eat the coffeecake but not quite masking his disgusted face. Draco was happy to see something Granger did wrong. Even if it was probably Potter who screwed it up.

Nashira dropped down form the counter, grabbed a slice of their coffeecake, and walked to the edge of the kitchen. "Come on." She nodded at Potter and Granger.

Nashira walked into their kitchen and leaned against the sink, her eyes sweeping over the flat coffeecake critically. Draco confidently strolled after her and hovered at the entrance near Potter, who didn't notice they had walked over as he had his eyes closed as he tried to eat the coffeecake.

Draco reached around Potter and tore the cake off his fork. Potter's eyes blinked open when the fork entered his mouth bare. He looked relieved though. That is until he noticed Draco beside him. Draco smirked and popped the piece in his mouth. He sucked the crumbs off his fingers, feeling Potter's eyes on him.

"What? You didn't actually want to eat that, did you? It's nasty. Nice job at cooking," he added, glancing at Granger briefly. He rubbed his wet fingers on the napkin the coffeecake was on.

"It's not that bad," Potter said, shifting his eyes from Draco to Granger. She smiled wearily at him before shooting a warning look at Draco.

"Oh, I bet it is," Nashira chirped. Draco had forgotten she was there. He looked at her to find she was poking at a slice of Potter and Granger's cake. "Looks like you forgot the baking powder." She tapped the cake with her tongue. "And the sugar."

Granger looked tetchily at Nashira. She pursed her lips, but Draco saw her shoot another anxious look Draco's way. Remembering the talk they had yesterday made anger boil up inside him. No one should speak to a Malfoy like that.

"Try a piece of ours. It's perfect." Nashira handed Granger their slice of cake and grinned as Granger tried concealing her delight.

"I don't know if it's _perfect_. That's a big suggestion." But Granger's face betrayed what was coming out of her mouth.

Potter shifted in the stool he was sitting. Draco looked at him, then Granger, then the cake. People didn't just threaten Malfoy's and get away with it. Maybe he wasn't going to say anything about the Ministry affair, but he could make Granger sweat. That would be fun.

"Want a bite?" Draco asked Potter, who narrowed his eyes suspiciously. Draco almost laughed aloud. Definitely fun. He grabbed the fork out of Potter's hand and walked over to Granger. She was watching him like a hawk. Draco smiled at her and sunk the fork into the cake. He avoided Nashira's questioning gaze as he walked back to Potter, his hand held under the fork to catch the cake if it fell.

"Here." He held out the fork, but Potter's suspicious look never left his eyes, and he kept shooting it between Draco's face and the cake. Draco could figure out that Potter wasn't going to take the cake from him, and he could see the cake slipping off the fork.

He reached his left hand out and pulled Potter's mouth open with a thumb placed on his chin. Draco slipped the fork into Potter's mouth, the metal disappearing when Potter closed his lips. Draco opened his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came to mind. It was when he slid the fork out slowly that his eyes locked with Potters, and suddenly Draco realized what he was doing. It sure wasn't going to make Granger sweat.

Draco dropped the fork onto the counter with a clink and backed up rapidly. Potter was still staring at him with wide eyes. "Erm, still got to clean up," Draco said before skittering out of the kitchen and dashing into his and Nashira's. He ignored Mary and April's questions from the kitchen beside his and started piling the measuring cups into the sink.

Footsteps stopped behind him and Draco turned to find Nashira watching him in confusion.

"So, what was that about?"

"Nothing," Draco said shortly, not sure himself. He turned the faucet on, letting it known he wasn't going to talk about it.

* * *

_Thursday August 8, 1996_

"Today we'll be making banana cake with cream cheese frosting. So," Dolly clapped her hands together, "everyone grab a partner. There will be one group of three since Mary's out sick. Let's go!"

Harry stood up from the stool to find Ron and Hermione already at a kitchen, beckoning him over. He was heading there when Malfoy cut out in front of him, almost running over him. He sneered at Harry, who glowered back. He didn't understand the Slytherin. One minute he was…Harry blushed...he was feeding him cake, and the next he was shoving past him like usual. It was…even weirder.

"I'll make the frosting and you two can make the cake," Ron said, glad that he would most likely have the easier, faster part.

"Sure, sure," Hermione said, pulling out a mixing bowl. "Or, maybe Harry should make the frosting and you help me."

Harry scowled. He knew without her saying anything that she blamed their flat, nasty coffeecake yesterday on him.

Ron pouted, then looked at Hermione and touched the small of her back. "I guess." Ron leaned in to kiss her, and Harry looked pointedly away. He was happy they were together again. Actually, their fight hadn't lasted that long. Right after class yesterday, Hermione's frostiness seemed to have melted, and once they arrived back at the Burrow she pulled Ron off. And that had been the extent of their argument.

"Oh, look. Keiko's stuck with April," Hermione said, pointing to the pair of them, three kitchens down. April was talking wildly, and apparently, trying to get something out of her. Keiko was blushing and mumbling every now and then. Hermione looked sympathetically at Keiko then looked at Harry and Ron. "I think I'm going to work with them. You two will be fine. Just…don't catch anything on fire."

Ron sulked, but Hermione didn't see it as she was already heading over. Harry watched her speak to them and Keiko look immensely relieved.

"Well! That's a fabulous idea, Hermione," Dolly exclaimed. "Let's switch things up. New partners!" Harry looked at Ron. Ron looked back, 'this blows' written clearly on his face. "You three can stay together. Nashira and…Ron. Draco with Carmen. Oliver with Harry." She clapped her hands encouragingly at the sight of their faces. "Come on! It'll be fun. Get to know everyone better."

"I thought that's what the game the first time was for," Ron grumbled.

Harry shrugged. "At least neither of us are stuck with Malfoy," he said optimistically.

"True."

Ron left their kitchen and made his way to where Nashira was waiting. Oliver bounded into Harry's kitchen and smiled widely.

"We hadn't had much time to talk before. This'll be great." He proceeded to pull out the rest of the ingredients Harry and Ron hadn't managed to. Harry smiled weakly. He had been looking forward to working with Ron, after he couldn't yesterday since Ron and Hermione were angry at each other, and Hermione grabbed Harry before Ron could.

Silently, Harry mixed the ingredients for the frosting while Oliver worked on the cake, humming quietly.

"Stop that annoying humming," Malfoy said. Harry looked up to find him right in front of him, the counters of their kitchens separating them.

"Sorry!" Oliver ceased humming and looked over. "Hey, Harry, did you see his awesome watch? It's animated! There's this little dragon and it moves around, blowing fire and everything. That must've been expensive." He dropped the bananas on the counter and walked over.

"Probably is," Harry said, glaring into Malfoy's eyes. "He's a spoiled brat."

Malfoy cocked his head and grinned. "At least I'm not a poverty stricken plebeian."

"I'm not. I have money."

"Fine, maybe you're not, but Weasley sure is."

Harry scoffed. "That's pitiful. You can't think of an insult for me so you hit on Ron, who's not even here."

Malfoy scowled. "I can think of plenty of insults for you."

"Let's here one then."

"What? You can't just hand out insults like that, on command. Of course, why should I expect anything else from someone who's dim enough to believe everything they see in their head, certainly, resulting in someone dying," Malfoy sneered. He snapped his mouth shut suddenly, but Harry's head was whirling. How dare Malfoy mention that!

Vaguely, he heard Oliver say something, but before Harry knew what he was doing, he climbed up on the table, his knee landing in the cream cheese, and launched himself at Malfoy.

They tussled on the floor, hands and legs flailing everywhere. Harry kicked someone who wasn't Malfoy and then he remembered that Carmen was working with him. He tried to say sorry as she was cursing at them and rushing away, but Malfoy's hand connected with the side of Harry's head and he gave up trying to talk.

Harry kneed Malfoy in the groin, the whimper that came from him very satisfying, and pinned Malfoy's arms above his head.

"Don't you dare say anything about that!" he growled before frenzied arms grabbed him around the waist and hauled him up. He turned to find Oliver there, holding him back by his arm.

Dolly bustled over and helped Malfoy to his feet, saying about getting ice for him. Malfoy shoved her away and glared at Harry before storming out of the class. April and Nashira rushed to the window to see if he was leaving, but he never went out.

Eventually everyone calmed down and, after Hermione had scolded him, Ron patting him on the back, the Professor shooed them back to work. Malfoy came in the room when there was only half an hour left. He strolled into the kitchen Carmen was in. He shot at glare at Harry before turning to talk to Carmen. Harry slammed the bowl he was cleaning into the drying rack a little too hard.

"So," Oliver said tentatively once they seated at the counter on the far side of where Malfoy was. Harry tried smiling at him. "I won't ask you what all that was about. Unless you want to answer me, but I doubt you will."

"I don't want to talk about it," Harry said shortly.

"That's fine." He chewed on the cake pensively. Harry didn't feel like eating at the moment. He was still upset about the insult Malfoy had said. It was uncalled for, and it hit deep. He scowled just thinking about it. "You know, you two remind me of Carmen and me."

"What?"

"You and Draco," he said in a quieter tone so no on else could hear them. Oliver looked over at the kitchen Malfoy and Carmen were in.

"How so?" Harry asked skeptically. He hadn't seen those two fighting or bickering. Sure, she'd said some mean things about him, but she did that to almost everyone.

"Well, in public you both are mean and insult each other." He swirled the spoon in the cake.

"What do you mean 'in public?' We are always like that." Harry took his first bite of the cake and managed to smile. It was pretty good. The frosting tasted funky, but Harry had made that so… The cake itself was great. "You'll make a good chef," Harry complimented.

Oliver beamed. "Thanks!" He bit his lip bashfully and ate more of the cake. "Wait, you're distracting me. I mean, is that how you two are when not around other people?"

"Yes."

Oliver frowned. "Really? But then what was with him feeding you the coffeecake yesterday?"

To Harry's immense displeasure he felt his face heating up. Had everyone seen that? "Your guess is as good as mine."

"Oh." He looked disappointed.

"Wait," Harry said slowly. "How did you think we acted?"

Oliver smiled sheepishly. "I thought you were dating, and that feeding thing just happened because you guys couldn't control yourselves."

Harry sputtered loudly. Oliver slapped him gently on the back.

"I guess I was wrong, eh?"

* * *

_Friday August 9, 1996_

Draco groaned for the umpteenth time in the past hour and a half. He didn't want to be playing these childish games that Dolly reckoned would make everyone more acquainted and prevent any further violence. She was really perturbed by Draco's run in with Potter yesterday. Truthfully, Draco was still perturbed by that. He hadn't thought Potter would react that strongly to his comment. Luckily, Granger had so far only glowered at him.

"Heads up, three up," Dolly said contentedly and watched as Potter, Carmen, and Mary stood from their stools. Potter guessed Oliver and was wrong. Draco was getting a kick out of this. He'd been up for five rounds in a row, and each time he picked Potter. And each time Potter guessed anyone but him.

Carmen then guessed Oliver and was correct. Mary guessed Granger, the only other person beside Draco, who everyone knew kept choosing Potter.

"Great! I think that's enough." Dolly smiled calmly at the class. "This is a cooking class, after all. So now we are going to make strawberry-banana smoothies. Everyone pair up and grab a kitchen. Instructions on the counters!"

Draco instantly went to Nashira, who smiled and picked the nearest kitchen.

"Get the blender out, would you? I'll get the ingredients," Nashira said before opening the small fridge and pulling out strawberries. Draco opened a few cupboards before he looked around at other groups to see where they were finding the blender. Weasley, in the kitchen beside him with Potter, got theirs out of the cupboard under the sink while April and Mary took theirs out of the one above the stove. Draco scowled and opened some more cupboards. The school was so unorganized.

"You sure that's all the ingredients?" he heard Potter ask, his finger paused over the button on the blender. Weasley nodded and walked to the sink with the knife.

"Find it yet?" Nashira called. "I got all the ingredients."

Draco grumbled and moved to the cupboards on the right side of the kitchen. He stopped to sneer at Potter before bending over and opening the doors. Ah-ha! The blender was there. He grabbed it and stood up, something splattering on his face.

Draco frowned into the amused face of Potter. Then a glob of smoothie hit the Gryffindor on the nose. Both of them looked at the blender in between them, the one that was on and had no lid.

"Potter!" Draco roared before springing onto the counter and pushing a button on the blender. Only, then it spun faster and smoothie flung everywhere. Potter yelled, and then it stopped.

Draco blinked, wiped pink smoothie away from his eyes, and saw Potter holding the plug sheepishly in his hand.

"Oops. I think I forgot to put the lid on?" he said in a small voice.

But before Draco could scream at him, Dolly ran over, a grin stretching her face. "I _knew_ I should have been more thorough in the instructions. You're supposed to put the _lid_ on!" She broke out in laughter. Draco distinctly heard Nashira and Weasley chortling with her.

"Off to the loo with you two. Go now, you're a right mess." She shushed Draco and Potter into the hall, the door snapping shut behind them. Draco glared at Potter until he walked away. Sighing, Draco followed. He didn't know where the loo was.

Potter opened a door and walked into a pitch-black room. Draco hovered in the doorway.

"Where's the light switch?" Potter asked. Draco could hear him plundering around. "You going to help me or just sit there letting smoothie harden on you?"

Draco jumped and started running his fingers along the wall. Who knew how long it would take him to get smoothie out of his hair. Damn Potter and his non-existent cooking skills! The fact that Draco had none too was beside the point. It was he who forgot to put the bloody lid on the blender.

With a small "Yes!" from Potter, light bathed the room, showing off just how much smoothie was on them. Draco looked into the mirror behind Potter to see he just had smoothie on his head. Potter was covered in it from the waist up. Draco snickered.

"Shut it," Potter grumbled. Then he smiled impishly.

Draco regarded him suspiciously. "What?"

Potter shook his head wildly like a wet dog, sending smoothie all over, a lot landing on Draco. In a fit of anger, Draco bent over and pulled his wand out of his pant-leg. He shoved it under Potter's nose threateningly.

Potter eyed it warily. "You're going to use magic in a _muggle_ school? When you're underage?" He managed to smirk, although his eyes never left the wand.

Draco was no longer glaring at Potter, but at the pink line of smoothie running down his nose and dripping onto Draco's wand. He took good care of his wand. He couldn't let food get on it. But he couldn't very well pull it away, either. He still had to get Potter back for the whole smoothie incident.

The pink glob collecting on Draco's wand started sliding to the side. It dripped down when Potter's pink tongue suddenly flicked out and caught it. Draco distinctly saw Potter's tongue graze the underside of the wand, gathering the smoothie there before it could fall. Draco gasped.

His mind was blissfully blank as he leaned forward, his wand dropping away from Potter's face. The last thing he saw before his eyes snapped shut of their own accord was bright green eyes, opened wide in surprise. And then Draco was licking Potter's cheek.

The smoothie was surprisingly good. Maybe Potter _could_ cook. A bit. He flicked his tongue to the side of Potter's nose, licking the smoothie pooling there.

Potter gurgled and moved his head, his mouth opened. He was starting to say something when Draco suddenly found his tongue was plundering Potter's mouth. The taste was sweeter than the smoothie on his skin. There was a hint of strawberry, as if Potter had been sneaking them into his mouth.

Draco pressed their lips together to reach deeper; it was a different taste in the back. A nice taste, though. But then Potter's immobile tongue stirred, pressing Draco's to the roof of Potter's mouth. Slightly chapped lips moved against his own. Draco pulled back and gasped for air before moving forward again.

His lips landed on Potter's chin. He felt Potter's hands on his chest, pushing him away. Draco blinked, the fog in his mind slowly disappearing. Neither of them said a word as they stared at each other.

Abruptly, Draco backed up and went to the furthest sink. He turned the faucet on and splashed water into his face. A minute of scrubbing smoothie out of his hair later he heard another faucet turn on at the far end of the room.

Draco finished cleaning up before Potter and left without a backward glance. He didn't allow himself to think of what had just happened. For the last fifteen minutes of class, Draco avoided Potter's gaze.

* * *

_Saturday August 10, 1996_

"Ron, Hermione," Harry said hesitatingly, seating himself on the edge of Ginny bed. Ron was sprawled out on Hermione's, and Hermione was standing by the door, looking in concern at Harry. "I think Imightlikeblokes."

Might. Harry wasn't sure. All he knew was he couldn't get that strange kiss with Malfoy out of his mind. It was nice. Were you supposed to call someone that licked smoothie off you by their last name? Harry supposed not.

Hermione gawked at him while Ron blinked in confusion.

"Could you speak a little slower?" he asked.

"Erm…I think I might, maybe, I'm not too sure, not sure at all, like blokes," Harry mumbled. Perhaps he shouldn't have brought it up.

"Yes, that was a lot more clearer," Ron said sarcastically.

"Harry said he might like guys." Hermione walked forward and sat on the bed beside Harry. She grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed it. Harry risked a glance at Ron. He was opening and closing his mouth like a fish, but he was now sitting straight up.

"Err," Ron started, but Hermione shot him a warning look, and he shut up.

"Harry, is this about Cho?" Hermione gazed sympathetically at him. Harry could only gape in confusion at her. That was far from what he thought she would say. She must have taken his inability to speak to mean she was right for she said, "Look, Cho wasn't emotionally stable. I know the thing with her didn't work, but that's not how all girls are. Trust me." She patted his knee.

Harry started to protest that she had it all wrong, but she replied, "So the kissing wasn't that good. But she was crying, Harry. What do you expect? Look, I know you may be confused, but just because you had one bad experience with a girl doesn't mean you should give them up and try boys. And it doesn't mean you're gay."

Harry smiled at her. Maybe she was right. Maybe the whole thing with Cho just made him like any attention. That would mean he didn't like Draco, per say, just the idea of someone. Just the idea of a tongue in his mouth and lips against his own. Just the idea of pink splattered white-blond hair before him. Harry shook his head.

"Thanks, Hermione. I…I think you're right." So it was a little fib. He wasn't sure if she was right. But right now, she didn't need to know that and who knows, maybe she was right.

She grinned and squeezed he hand once more before standing from the bed. "Anytime you need help Harry, don't be afraid to talk to us."

She ushered Ron out of the room, but he kept looking back at him. Before they reached the door, Ron blurted, "What made you think that anyways?"

Hermione gave him a glare but turned to Harry, interest displayed clearly across her face.

"Erm…" Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't want to bring Draco into it all. Ron would try to kill him, and Hermione would spew out some other explanation that would only confuse him more. What he needed was to talk to Ginny. She already knew about the kissing comment and hadn't told anyone.

"Was is that Oliver? I never liked him," Ron said, frowning.

"What? No! No, it was…I was just thinking is all." He smiled reassuringly at them. "Thanks again, Hermione."

She smiled. They both seemed placated by his answer and left. Harry groaned and rolled onto his stomach. The scene in the loo replayed over and over in his mind until a few minutes later the door opened, and someone bounced onto the bed, sending him sprawling in the air.

Harry sat up and found Ginny standing on the comforter, staring down at him.

"I'm going over to Luna's now. Just saying bye." She grinned and jumped off the bed. "By the way, why are you on my bed?"

"Oh, I was talking to Ron and Hermione." He watched her walk to the door. If he wanted to talk to her, he'd have to talk now. She wouldn't be back until Wednesday. "Erm, remember that weird comment Malfoy said before?"

Ginny froze and moved towards Harry. She crossed her legs at the foot of her bed. "Yeah," she prompted.

"Well, something else happened." He looked up from his hands to see Ginny staring attentively at him

"What?"

"Um…he fed me coffeecake." He watched Ginny's eyes go wide. "The other day, erm, Wednesday."

Ginny let out a forced laugh. "Well, that's what Ron and Hermione were talking about then. The other day I heard them and thought they were speaking about each other. Of course, I moved away. I didn't want visions dancing in my head of those two." She scrutinized Harry. "So, how come you sound so passive about the Malfoy thing. Wasn't it…"

"Weird," Harry said at the same time Ginny said, "Disturbing?"

"Oh." She rubbed her nose.

"But, you know, that too," Harry said too quickly. In a way, it had been disturbing. Disturbing in a way that Draco had done that out of the blue. Why hadn't he minded it too much then? Maybe Hermione was right; he just liked the attention.

"Yeah. Did anything else happen?" She scooted forward on the bed a bit.

Harry flushed. "No. We fought yesterday but that's it." There was no way he was going to mention what happened in the loo yesterday. He had been a willing participant in that, after all. He was the one that started the kissing. Or was Draco searching his mouth with his tongue kissing?

"That's good." She stood up and grabbed her bag from the door. "Seems like I was right. He _was_ trying to convince himself he didn't want to kiss you."

"You think he likes me?"

Ginny frowned. "I wouldn't say he likes you, but I wouldn't know. He probably just lusts after you. But, hey," she smiled cheerfully at him, "at least he left you alone yesterday. Hopefully nothing else will happen. If something, Merlin forbid, does, you can owl me at Luna's, okay? And if push comes to shove, just punch him. Or curse his bits off. There's this nice little spell." Her smile widened at the scared look on Harry's face. "I keep it incase I'll ever have to use it. It's in my bedside table. Top drawer. Look at it, just in case."

"Thanks," he said weakly. He was more worried about the fact that there was a spell to make someone's bits fall off.

"Oh, it's not permanent!" she laughed. "Just gives them a real good fright. I'd never use it on you, don't worry."

"That's good." Harry reminded himself to notify Ron about the spell incase Ginny got any thoughts to use it on him.

"Well, I'll see you on Wednesday. Cheerio!" She waved with her free hand and walked down the hall, leaving the door open.

"Bye, Ginny!" Harry called after her.

"Bedside table," she said before he heard her yelling Luna's house into the fireplace. He went to the table and opened the drawer. You never know when something like that could come in handy.

XxXxX

"Draco," Lucius greeted, gesturing for him to take the seat in front of his desk. Lucius folded his arms and gazed scrutinizing at his only son. "How are the classes?"

Draco frowned. He didn't want to be in the classes, and he certainly didn't want to be talking to Lucius. He was sure to be bombarded with questions about his loyalty, which Draco still hadn't decided.

"Terrible. But that's what you wanted, wasn't it?" Well, Draco reasoned, it hadn't been all that bad. He liked Nashira, got to hit Potter upside the head, and ate some good food. But he didn't like cooking or the other people in the class. And then there was Potter…

"Did you do as told? Did you find out any information on Potter?" Lucius narrowed his eyes at Draco, as if expecting him to lie and wanted to catch it himself.

"I don't talk to him." It's wasn't that much of a lie. But what else could he say? It wasn't as if he had any information about him anyway.

Lucius pursed his lips and tried controlling himself. "Any little thing could help, even if you don't think it will."

Draco pretended to think then shook his head. All he could say was that Potter freaked about comments involving his godfather and liked being kissed when smoothie was all over him. Well, the former could come in handy, but not the latter, unless the Dark Lord decided to smother Potter and him in smoothie, snog him for distraction, and then cast the killing curse. Draco shuddered. He hoped he wasn't there if that ever happened.

"What!" Lucius cried, latching onto Draco's shiver in hope that it was a memory. But Draco was too busy berating himself for thinking about, what he referred to as, the smoothie incident. He wasn't supposed to think about it. It was a mistake. A strange, wrong, completely random mistake that made no sense at all. And that he had enjoyed. Which made it all the above. "What? Did you think of something?"

Draco blinked. "No…I just got a shiver."

Lucius sighed in a long-suffering way. "Fine. But I'll have you know, I was going to take you out of the class if you did your work and found information out. Since you didn't, you're staying." He smirked.

Draco clenched his hands into fists and seethed silently. His father wasn't going to let him out, even if he had found out information. He glowered at Lucius.

Lucius sat back in his chair and peered across the desk at Draco. "Have you done any thinking? Have you chosen the right side?"

"I haven't picked yet," he said shortly, his lips curving into a bitter sneer. "But I'm sure the Order wouldn't send me to cooking classes that I didn't want to go to."

Lucius bristled. "You're right. They probably wouldn't." Draco grinned smugly. "They just wouldn't trust you and would make you take veritaserum. Or they wouldn't let you in at all." He smiled at the sight of Draco's smug grin slipping off his face. "You may go now."

Draco buried his hands in the pockets of his robes and walked out of the room. Once the door clicked shut behind him, he leaned against it and took a large breath. Lucius was right. They wouldn't trust him. However, the more he thought about it, the more becoming a Death Eater was appearing less tempting. Maybe he could take no sides.

The door flung open and Lucius stood there, looking down at Draco. "And I want you to find information out on Potter or you'll be severely sorry." The door slammed shut before Draco could retort, though he wasn't sure what he would say.

Potter. Why did everything come down to him? He had to go to the cooking classes because of Potter. He has to find out information on him because it's Potter. He kissed him because he's Potter. Or perhaps he kissed him because of the smoothie. It was pretty good.

Draco sighed. Who was he kidding? At that moment, he had wanted to kiss Potter. He wanted Potter. Though now, in the hallway of the manor, far away from the Gryffindor, he couldn't understand why. All he knew was he couldn't let Potter talk. No one could find out about the smoothie incident, especially not Lucius.

* * *

_Sunday August 11, 1996_

Harry gently took the letter from the eagle owl perched on Ron's window. It had steadily refused to let anyone see it but Harry. Only when Ron left the room to use the loo did it hop onto the window ledge and hoot plainly at Harry, even though he had seen it flying past the window every now and then.

Curiously, Harry unfolded the letter. The owl flew off without a backward glance. Harry frowned. Usually they waited for a reply. He looked back at the letter. It read:

_Potter,_

_Come half an hour early tomorrow. We need to talk._

_DM_

Harry's brow creased as he read it through again. They needed to talk? Harry had assumed they were just going to ignore it. But talking…that didn't sound too bad.

The toilet flushed and Harry quickly stuffed the letter under his bed. He wasn't sure if he wanted to talk about it. Was Draco going to blame it all on him? Harry sighed. Even if he wanted to show up early, he didn't think Hermione would allow him to leave without them. Much too dangerous, she'd say. What would she say if it was to meet up with a Death Eater's son? Harry laughed aloud.


	3. Part Three

Title: Kiss the Cook (3/4)  
Rating: PG13  
Length: 6489 words, part 3 of 4  
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama  
Pairings: Harry/Draco and minor Ron/Hermione  
Summary: Harry, Ron, and Hermione take cooking classes over the summer after fifth year. Draco starts thinking for himself, which doesn't go over well. Cooking, fire, loos, kisses, betrayal, and secrets.  
Disclaimer: Not my characters, quotes, or even idea. : ( But my words!  
Note: Written for humpday101 using the prompt 'I think I forgot' (fluff), andhpchallenge with the word 'banana.' The idea of the trio taking cooking classes to get away from things is credited to Remus's Nymph.

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_Monday August 12, 1996_

Ron and Hermione escaped into the girls' room around eleven thirty. It meant Harry would arrive there much earlier then he had intended, but it was the perfect opportunity to leave. Mrs. Weasley couldn't even stop him as she was bringing a homemade lunch to Mr. Weasley at work.

Harry scribbled out a note saying he left to go down early and placed it in the middle of his bed. When they went to look for him, they would be sure to find it.

He walked out of the house with no problem and luckily, the window in Ginny's room faced the backyard, so they wouldn't see him leaving. On the half hour walk to the school, Harry imagined Hermione's reaction when she read the letter. She would be terribly angry and once she found Harry…He might have to invest in a hearing aid. He was not looking forward to that encounter. Maybe even more so than the encounter he was walking into.

He was still confused about the thing with Draco. He had liked it and wanted to do it again. That he had only just let himself believe late last night. He couldn't get what happened out of his mind. He had even started zoning out just thinking about it. Ron seemed worried about him, but Hermione thought he was just thinking about his crisis, as she referred to it.

The school air conditioning hit him with a welcome blast. It wasn't scorching out like other days but it still was hot. He shut the door behind him and headed to the room. He would have to wait about half an hour until Draco showed up. He hoped Ron and Hermione didn't pop up before class started, therefore, not allowing them to talk.

He walked into the cooking room. He was surprised that the school didn't lock their doors. Anyone could get in.

"You're early," a voice said to his right. Harry looked over and found Draco perched on a stool, a half-eaten apple in his hand. The apple must have been very fresh for little ribbons of juice created lines down Draco's hand and dripped onto the floor between his legs.

"I couldn't have left later if I wanted to," he answered guardedly. He wasn't sure how to act. "You're early too."

Draco nodded and set the apple on a napkin. He stood and sauntered over to Harry, who backed up a step before he raised his head and stood his ground. He knew that bit-removing spell if Draco was going to do something. Of course, he couldn't do magic, being only sixteen, but if need be he had it.

It turned out that what Draco did made him forget the bit-removing spell. Actually, it made him forget quite a lot.

Draco leapt across the small distance and pressed Harry against the door. Right when Harry was about to knee him in the groin, Draco gathered his wrists and pinned them above his head. It sent a shiver down Harry's spine and straight to his cock.

Soft lips, sticky with apple juice, pressed against his own. Harry moaned and poked his tongue out, wanting to lick the sweet juice off Draco's lips. He tasted so good. It wasn't until Draco slammed Harry's hips against the door that he even realized he was pressing up against him.

Draco groaned and opened his mouth, apparently tired of Harry just licking his lips. Harry didn't complain though, as his lips were losing the apple taste, and his mouth was so much better. The apple there was more pronounced, and there was some undertone that Harry just couldn't get enough of.

Draco's hands released Harry's and trailed down his bare arms, leaving a trail of sticky juice from his fingers. Draco pulled his head away from Harry and latched onto his arm. He sucked on the soft skin between Harry's shoulder and elbow. Harry could feel the tongue swirling and then teeth nipping. He couldn't help but bury his head into Draco's neck and let out a long, low moan.

Draco stilled and Harry's arms fell down to land on Draco's waist. Harry's breathing was heavy. He could feel the hair at Draco's neck fluttering with every out breath he gave. He could also feel Draco's skin goose bumping slightly. He pressed a light kiss onto the raised skin there. Draco gasped and grabbed Harry's chin. He pulled Harry's head to his and crushed their lips together.

Harry let out a strangled mewl as Draco sucked on his bottom lip. It was fantastic. Why hadn't they started this sooner instead of hating each other? Wait, weren't they here to talk? But then Draco licked the edge of Harry's face and fluttered kisses over the wet skin. Harry gasped out the only thing that came to mind. "Wanna be together?"

Draco moaned and replaced his lips on Harry's. He murmured, "Fuck, yes," into Harry's mouth. In one fluid motion he unzipped and unbuttoned Harry's jeans. He was tugging them down Harry's hips when he realized what Draco was doing.

He jumped away from Draco, ramming his head into the door behind him. He stared wide-eyed at him while Draco frowned in confusion. His eyes were dilated and Harry figured his might be too. Though perhaps not, as he was just shocked severely. How could Draco want that now? And here, where anyone could walk in and find them. And it was way too soon. Way too soon.

"That's not what I meant," he said quickly, adjusting his crooked glasses. Draco dropped his hands, which had been reaching for Harry's jeans again.

"Then what -" Draco frowned. "You want us to date? Be _boyfriends_?" he scoffed.

Harry felt a strong desire to punch him. How could he love what Draco's mouth did but not what spewed out of it? Besides, he was unable to think clearly when he had said that.

"I'm not gay." Draco glowered at him, as if daring him to disagree.

Harry started slightly. Did that mean he actually was gay? Did that mean Hermione was wrong, and he did like blokes, not just the attention?

"Well, I don't think I am either."

"Think?"

"I know, whatever." Harry stared at him. It seemed like a good idea, if Draco could keep his mouth shut. Well, by that Harry meant not talking. "I think it sounds like an idea."

Draco chewed on his lips and Harry found his eyes following the movement. "There'll be more of _that_, right?" He whirled his hand at the door, where they had been occupied.

Harry frowned. He had meant a relationship, not just for the touch. But, if he was honest with himself, he only wanted a relationship to see if he was gay. "Yeah, sure."

Draco thrust his hand out. "Fine, Potter. You have yourself a deal."

Harry snorted. A deal? He eyes Draco's hand. Did he really want to do this - whatever this was? Before he realized what he was doing, his hand inched its way through the air and into Draco's palm.

"Call me Harry, Draco."

Draco's fingers skittered over the inside of Harry's wrist. Leisurely they made their way up his arm to dip and swirl at the inside of his elbow. "Harry," he whispered, tugging him forward against him. Their lips met chastely because they could hear angry footsteps making their way down the hall.

Draco pulled away and sat back on his stool, picking up his previously discarded apple. "No one knows, okay?" Harry nodded and tried flattening his hair, not that it would make any difference.

The door flung open wildly and Hermione, followed by Ron, stormed into the room. She set eyes on Harry, and then proceeded to yell at him for his foolishness. Ron was glancing between Draco and Harry, his brow furrowed.

Harry tried to explain, once asked, but he couldn't use the real excuse and he hadn't another ready. He could see both of his friends looking suspiciously at Draco, and the blond boy - Harry's boyfriend? - smirking humorously at him.

Eventually Dolly showed up, and Hermione ceased her yelling, though she became very frosty towards Harry and wouldn't speak to him. Not soon after Dolly, the rest started to show. Draco was immediately taken away by Nashira. Harry stared after them. He was busy wondering when the next time Draco and he would be able get alone together that he wasn't listening to Dolly until she said she was going to partner them again.

"Let's see." She tapped her chin and hummed. "April and Ron, Nashira and Hermione, Oliver and Keiko, Mary and Carmen, Draco and Harry." She looked sternly at the two boys. "And I want no fighting. Try to get along."

Harry attempted to hide his grin. He looked over at Draco to share it, but he was looking the other way. Harry stood and walked to a kitchen.

XxXxX

Draco stepped into the kitchen Harry was already at. He watched the brunette pull the ingredients out of the fridge and cupboards. He wasn't sure about this thing, agreement, they now had going on. The talking hadn't gone over anything like Draco had wanted. All he had wanted was to kiss Harry, see if it was a fluke the first time. And then he was going to convince the Gryffindor to tell no one. He hadn't expected to want it so much.

"What are we making?" he asked. During Dolly's talk he had been unable to pay attention. All he could think about was Harry. Harry and his green eyes, unruly black hair, soft skin, and parted pink lips. He had quite enjoyed those lips on him. The slight chappedness of them felt good against his skin.

Draco shook his head. He had to concentrate. Nashira was already curious. She said something about a dreamy look on his face. Draco liked to think she was making that up. Malfoys didn't get dreamy looks.

"Erm, banana nut muffins," he said vaguely as he turned on the electric beater and started mixing. Draco watched those fingers curl around the machine and wondered how they would feel curled around his cock.

Draco frowned. What was with him? So he snogged Harry once and now was getting an influx of images? It wasn't right. Although, it did make it seem like he was in it for sex like they had agreed. Only, Draco knew it wasn't. Well, mostly it was. It also was because he wanted to see Harry's reactions. He'd seen him angry multiple times, and he had seen him happy during Quidditch and with friends. What he desired was to see him content, maybe from sitting in Draco's arms. He wanted to see him look into Draco's eyes with the trust he reserves for his closest friends. He wanted to see Harry lose all abandon in Draco as he arches his back, eyes flashing with desire, and pleasure, and love -

Draco stiffened. He had gotten carried away. Maybe they needed to take this slow. And stay distant. Very distant. Incase that actually would happen.

"Hey, thanks for helping," Harry grumbled. Draco snapped to attention to find Harry was placing the pan in the oven. "Want to lick the bowl?" He pushed it over and grabbed the other utensils and measuring devices. They dropped into the sink with a loud clatter.

Draco grabbed the bowl and rubbed his pointer finger along the side, gathering the brown mixture. It tasted okay. It wasn't superb, but it was fine.

He was aware of Harry's eyes on him. He peeked at him to see he was following the movement of the batter from the bowl to Draco's finger to his mouth. Draco smirked around his finger and scooped more up. So he wasn't the only who wanted to do things suddenly. If the look on Harry's face said anything, a million scenarios were running through his head. Draco almost laughed. And he couldn't act on any of them. But wait - Draco groaned quietly - he kind of wanted Harry to do something.

He looked up from the bowl to see Harry right in front of him. Draco raised his eyebrows and his hand. But before he could wrap his lips around his batter-coated finger it was sucked into Harry's warm mouth. They locked eyes and Draco moaned softly. Harry's tongue was swirling around his finger, paying a lot of attention to the tip.

A plate clattered to the floor.

Harry sprung away. Draco glared at him. How could he think to do something like that? Anyone could have seen. Anxiously, he looked around. Only two people were looking at them. Dolly seemed to be the one who had dropped the plate. She was in April and Weasley's kitchen, but luckily, neither of them looked to have seen. A few kitchens up from them was Keiko. Draco leered at her, and she flushed and turned away.

"Sorry. I - um - sorry," Harry whispered.

If someone else had seen, Draco would have been ready to kill Harry. But as it was, he was pretty sure neither of them would say anything. Draco sunk down to the floor. He wiped his wet finger on Harry's pants and sighed heavily.

"You okay?" Harry sat beside him and reached a hand out cautiously. His face was twisted in concern and apology. It looked charming. "Look, I'm really sorry. I don't think anyone noticed. Please, don't be mad." He paused to think before saying defensively, "Besides you fed me cake last week, and is it really that different? I mean -"

Draco looked around to make sure they were concealed by the counters before pulling Harry forward with a hand strategically placed on the back of his head, effectively shutting him up.

Harry hummed his approval and settled between Draco's legs. He was fleetingly reminded of wanting to take things slow but reasoned that they couldn't do much with everyone around, so it wasn't a problem.

Harry leaned back a bit and said, "Once I got chased up a tree by my aunt's dog. Well, she's not really my aunt, but I'm supposed to call her that."

Draco blinked before laughing silently. "That's random."

"I figured we should talk. You know, if we are - um - together." He bit his lip and looked awkwardly at Draco.

He contemplated mentioning that they only agreed on this for physical pleasure but refrained. "I guess you're right…Wow. I never thought I'd say that."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Shut it," he said good-naturally, shoving Draco's shoulder into the drawer gently. "I'll have you know, I'm right about quite a lot of things."

Draco snorted. "Like what?" He dropped his hands on Harry's arms and rubbed circles there. It felt nice to sit like this with Harry. With anyone, he said to himself, he could enjoy this with anyone. It didn't have to be Harry Potter.

"Like - um…" He pulled his legs out from underneath him and stretched them over Draco's thighs, his feet pressing into the wooden drawers.

"Not dating, my arse," Oliver muttered in an undertone, his head peering over from the kitchen beside them. Draco started, having forgotten other people were in the room. Harry blushed. Draco looked between the two of them before glowering at Oliver. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone." He winked at them. "Though if you don't want people to know, you should do a better job at hiding it."

They pulled apart and stood. Harry walked over to the stove and opened it, checking to see if the muffins were done. Draco couldn't stop his eyes from darting back to rest on the raven-haired boy. Draco grimaced slightly. Great, he was falling hard and fast, and he wasn't even sure how he was falling, or what for.

XxXxX

The whole walk home Hermione said nothing to Harry. She was, evidently, still mad. Ron tried engaging the two of them in talk the whole time. Harry spent most of the walk talking to Ron and daydreaming about Draco. It was insane how fast things had progressed. It was definitely different from the only other relationship he'd been in. Besides the obvious gender difference, a big difference was that nothing really had happened with Cho, but with Draco, it escalated quickly.

Ron tried getting Hermione to play a game of chess once they got home but she declined and went in search of Mrs. Weasley. Harry sat across him and prepared himself to lose spectacularly.

Fifteen minutes later, Harry looked at his few pieces still on the board. Either he was getting worse or Ron was getting better. Plus, it didn't help that the pieces didn't trust him and kept trying to go in other places.

Hermione walked in and sprawled on Ron's bed. Harry and Ron looked up from the floor to find her poring over numerous cookbooks.

"What are you doing?" Ron asked after commanding his knight to move. Harry, giving up and wanting to get the game over with, prodded his last pawn into the knight's path. It was protesting shrilly and Harry had to pick it up and place it there.

Hermione waited for the pawn to quiet before she said, "I'm looking for something to make for the cooking contest."

At the end of class, Dolly had announced that the last day, Friday, would consist of a cooking contest where everyone worked individually to make whatever they wanted as long as it had bananas in it.

"I'm just making something quick and easy so I don't have to do anything," Ron said.

Harry smiled. "Good idea."

Hermione tutted at them.

"What do you think of one of those smoothies again?"

A snort resounded from the bed. "After what happened last time, Ron?"

"Oy! That was all Harry. I would've remembered to put the lid on." He laughed while Harry threw the screaming chess pieces at him.

"And besides," Ron said once Harry finished with the throwing of game pieces. "That's a magical cookbook. You'll need a muggle one."

Hermione sighed and snapped the book shut. "I'm going to the library." She gathered the books together and walked to the door.

"Have fun," Ron called.

She stopped at the door and faced Ron. "You're not coming with? I mean, after all, it's very unsafe for people to walk around by their selves." She gave Harry a pointed look. Ron sniggered.

"Fine." He looked at Harry, trying on a puppy-dog pout. Harry thought he looked ridiculous and laughed. He nodded and followed them out of the house for an hour walk to the library.

After the library, Hermione and Ron retired to Ginny's room. Hermione, finally softening up to him after he pretended to be interested in finding a cookbook, asked if Harry would like to join them in poring over the books, but Harry declined after seeing the disappointed look in Ron's eyes.

So he sat on his bed and even attempted to look in the cookbook, but it was dead boring. Hedwig flew in the open window, hooted, and nipped at his fingers. He shut the book and stroked her feathers. Lately she had been getting restless. She wanted to send letters, but since he was staying with Ron and Hermione there were no letters to send. Harry had already sent off more letters to Hagrid over the summer than his whole life combined.

Her white feathers reminded Harry of Draco's thin hair. He wondered if it was soft and decided tomorrow he would have to find out. Then he got an idea. He grabbed a piece of parchment and quill. He scribbled out,

_Cookbooks are boring._

_Harry_

and told Hedwig to give it to Draco Malfoy. He didn't think she would find him but she looked happy to have something to do. To his surprise, an hour later she flew in with a different paper. It was thicker and with an elegant 'M' depicted on the bottom. It read,

_You like cooking so much you do that out of the class? You're going to make a perfect housewife._

Harry snorted and wrote a response back. They spent the evening sending letters back and forth until Hedwig became exhausted and Ron walked in to sleep. Harry had a nice, peaceful sleep uninterrupted by the nightmares he'd been having almost every night since the Ministry event.

* * *

_Tuesday August 13, 1996_

When Harry told Ron and Hermione they could work together, and he would find someone else, they looked pleased. When Harry walked up to Draco and asked if he wanted to be partners, Draco tried hiding a smirk and nodded. Nashira frowned at them and sulkily walked away. When it was obvious that they would be working together willingly Ron gaped soundlessly, and Hermione turned her analyzing gaze on them. Dolly gave them an odd look, and Oliver winked at them, rushing into the kitchen beside them with Carmen at his heels. No one else seemed to notice or care except that April and Mary whispered together, no doubt wondering if they would get into a fight.

"You didn't answer my owl last night," Draco complained, his bottom lip sticking out pettishly.

Harry laughed. "All you said was that you were tired. And I fell asleep then."

Draco scowled. "Didn't it occur to you that I waited for an answer?"

Harry bumped against him with his hip. "I didn't know my letters meant that much to you." He smiled at Draco's gawking mouth and dumped some ingredients into a bowl.

"They don't." Sourly, he kicked Harry's foot and shoveled chocolate chips he had found into his mouth.

Across the counter, he heard Carmen ordering Oliver around. She simply sat on a stool, picking at her nails. Every now and then she would look at him and offer an insult. Oliver seemed to take it all in stride and not mind at all. It annoyed Harry.

"So, what are you making for the contest?" Harry asked, dumping everything into a pan and stuffing it in the oven.

Draco raised one eyebrow. "Who cares? I was just going to slather a banana in peanut butter and be done."

"Oh, that's a good idea!"

Draco glowered at him, but a smile was tugging at his lips. "No taking my ideas."

Harry pulled a stool out for him and shoved him in it, taking the one beside him. "Ron and I were going to make something simple and fast too. Like smoothies or something…Maybe I'll dip it in chocolate and freeze it."

Draco rolled his eyes. "If you make something involving a blender let me know so I can get away." His fingers tapped Harry's knee and slowly made their way up to his thigh.

Harry pouted. "But I thought you liked it last time." He grinned playfully. When Draco didn't respond and just concentrated on tracing a design on Harry's leg, he said, "So what are you going to do after you finish your peanut butter banana?"

Draco looked up and smiled widely at him. "Well, I was thinking that I could slather you in peanut butter and -" he looked down at the chocolate chips in his hand, "Or maybe I'll melt chocolate and slather that on you. Yes, then it'll be warm and delicious. And then I'll lick it off bit by bit until you're putty in my hands and begging for me to touch you with something other than my tongue."

"You'll go to another room to do that, right?" Oliver said, humor dancing in his eyes. Draco flushed angrily while Harry bit his lip and shoved Draco's tracing hands away. "Sorry. Couldn't help overhearing. You two really are bollocks at hiding that you're dating."

"Oliver, chop, chop!" Carmen said. "You can talk to your gay little friends after you're done."

Harry and Draco looked at each other. Was it obvious or just a coincidence that she called them gay? Not that they were, Harry added for Draco's benefit. He said yesterday in the letters that he wasn't. When Harry asked why he was with a boy Draco replied that Harry must be a girl then, which had lasted in an argument over who was more like a girl. Neither won.

"Sorry 'bout her," Oliver apologized before turning back to their food.

"What the fuck did she mean by that?" Draco whispered angrily to Harry, who shrugged and dug his hand into the bag of chocolate chips. A few minutes later, Draco prodded him on the arm and said, "Nashira's waving me over. I'll be back." Harry nodded absently and watched Carmen pester Oliver.

Oliver escaped to sit across the counters from Harry. "Where'd Draco go?"

"Off. How do you put up with that?" Harry asked, waving in Carmen's direction. She was absently opening and closing the drawers now.

"With what?" Oliver said in confusion.

Harry couldn't believe it. He didn't see anything wrong? "Her. Carmen. She's so mean to you, and you're so calm. Nice. Why do you keep working with her, anyway?"

Oliver looked behind him to make sure Carmen was otherwise occupied before he leaned closer and whispered, "You can't tell. No one's supposed to know. Okay?"

Harry nodded eagerly.

"Well, remember the other day, when I said you and Draco reminded me of Carmen and me?"

"Yeah, you never explained that." Harry suddenly remembered. Oliver'd brought it up but then him thinking Harry and Draco were dating make him forget all about it.

Oliver shook his head slightly, biting his lip, then blurted quietly, "We're dating but she doesn't want anyone to know."

"Why?"

"She's shy about it. She never dated anyone like me. Her last boyfriend was how many years older and tuff. Like one of those bikers." He shrugged and smiled.

Harry leaned forward, his arse lifting off the stool, and whispered, "No, I mean, why would you date her? She's so mean."

Oliver chuckled. "Oh. That. She's not really that bad. Just in public. To keep up appearances, you know. She doesn't want anyone to suspect. But when we're alone she's real nice. She's sweet." He grinned fondly. Harry thought it was twisted.

"But - um - I thought you were…" He trailed off and shrugged wordlessly.

"Gay?" Oliver quipped. Harry nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, that's what lots of people think."

"And you let them think that?" He hadn't realized it but now he was sitting on his legs so he could lean forward and hear Oliver's quiet tone.

"I don't care what people think. It doesn't bother me." He smiled and folded his hands under his chin.

A shoulder bumped into his side. "What are you doing?" Draco asked in a forced natural voice. Harry looked at him to see his eyes narrowed at him.

Harry sat back in his chair and stared pensively at Oliver. It was kind of like Draco and him. They were together in secret. They weren't that cruel in public together, at least not yet. But they had only gotten together yesterday, (Harry couldn't believe it was that short ago) and as time passed they would probably get as bad as Oliver and Carmen.

He didn't want that to happen. What about when they went back at Hogwarts? If they still had this thing going, what would happen? Here, in the muggle cooking class, the only people to really hide it from were Ron and Hermione, but at Hogwarts there was everyone. There were the other Gryffindors, all of Draco's friends, and the teachers. The people that mattered, the people Draco really wouldn't want to know.

Draco huffed and shoved his hand into the chocolate bag roughly. Harry looked away from Oliver to watch Draco.

"What?" he asked, noticing the Slytherin's sharp movements. He wondered what Nashira had to say that made him upset.

"Nothing," Draco said shortly, turning away from Harry.

Harry's heart leapt. What if it was starting now? What if Nashira suspected them and said something to Draco, who decided he had to be nastier?

"We need to talk," Harry muttered.

Draco looked up from the bag and nodded. "You're right, we do."

"Erm…meet me in the loo?" He waited for Draco's nod before he left the room, telling Dolly he was going to the loo.

He shut the door behind him and searched for the light switch. He found it faster than last time and sat against the wall, waiting. He wasn't sure what he was going to say but he didn't want them to turn out like Oliver and Carmen. He wasn't sure what he wanted, and that was the problem.

XxXxX

With every step he took, he became angrier. Harry was dating him, not that bloody ponce Oliver! But no, Harry had to be wrapped up in the muggle, leaning over the counter to get closer and whispering together. It made Draco sick.

He opened the door harder than intended for it hit the wall with a crack. Harry shot up from his spot on the floor and gawked in confusion at Draco.

"What?" Harry asked. "What had Nashira said?"

Draco paused, momentarily confused. "You think I'm mad because of something Nashira said?" Harry nodded. "No! She just wanted to know why I worked with you over her."

"Oh. Then why…" He waved his hands at the door.

"You know why. Don't play the stupid, innocent Gryffindor," Draco snapped, walked forward to Harry, who stood his ground and didn't back up like Draco suspected he would.

"Look, why don't you just tell me." He shrugged. "I've no idea."

Draco breathed harshly out of his nose. "You and Oliver! You were flirting with him when we're dating! And it's not right because I'm the Slytherin, and you're the Gryffindor, and it's not supposed to work like that. You're supposed to want me, and I'm supposed to be cold, uncaring. I'm supposed to break your heart!" Draco quickly quieted. Where was all that coming from? Harry surely hadn't broken his heart. Made him livid, sure.

"Erm, we're dating?" Harry asked cautiously. Draco frowned but was glad he was stuck on that bit instead of other ones. "And about the rest, I'll have you know, the sorting hat wanted to put me in Slytherin."

Draco blinked. What? "You're kidding. You, the Gryffindor Golden Boy, in Slytherin? That'd be a hoot. Beside, you're too noble and saving people-like to be a Slytherin."

Harry snorted and sat back down. Draco sat beside him after searching the floor for dirt.

"So, we're dating?" he questioned again.

Draco sighed. He passed a hand over his face wearily. "I don't know. What did you want to talk about?" he said, abruptly changing the subject before they had to talk about their status.

Harry smiled widely. "You were jealous," he taunted.

"Yes, well. I'm not feeling well, must be from being around you and your good Gryffindor-ness."

Harry beamed and laid his head against Draco's shoulder. "Anyway, Oliver's not gay. He has a girlfriend."

Draco's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're kidding."

"Nope."

"Who?"

Harry frowned and sat straight. "I don't know. Someone we don't know. So, I was thinking. Do you think we should - erm - tell people. About us. You know, our…thing. Because we're putting up fronts, and it's not right. And. Um. Like, we could end up all bitter and terrible to each other and then we are like, just…not reality. It'd be…"

Draco couldn't help but smile at his inability to say what he wanted. "You want to tell people about us so we aren't two-faced?"

Harry smiled. "Yeah!" Then he bit his lip and gazed openly at Draco.

Draco pulled his hand away from where it had been twisting with Harry's. He took a deep breath, readying himself. "Who says this is anything that will last?"

The brunette froze and pulled his hand back too. "I just thought…You were jealous!" he accused.

"Yes. So?" He knew he was being distant and callous, but it had to be done. If Harry wanted them to tell other people, if he thought they would last, it had to be stopped, stopped before Harry started to feel for him and got hurt. Briefly, Draco wondered when the time had come that he was concerned about not hurting Harry. Before it had always been his desire to hurt the boy, but with a simple kiss, it all changed.

"Doesn't that mean something?" His eyes were no longer open but closing up, becoming guarded.

"When I was little, I didn't like to share," Draco explained, "When the other kids played with my toys, I was jealous. Jealous because someone else was taking what I owned."

He watched Harry's face take on different emotions before fury was clearly depicted on it. "Are you saying you own me?"

"No, I'm just using that as an example to explain my jealousy." He looked away. There was no way he would be able to look at the mixture of anger and hurt on Harry's face as he explained. Because for some reason he felt like he had to explain himself.

"This happened too fast," Draco started. Harry nodded, and Draco was glad he agreed. Maybe he would see what Draco meant. It would be so much easier that way. "Yesterday, when we were owling each other, I started thinking. This can't work."

Harry opened his mouth as if to protest but snapped it shut and looked at him, bending his legs and wrapping his arms around them.

Draco continued, "I realized that if my parents, my father, saw them, he would flip. I would get in so much trouble. Besides, you're the boy-who-lived, and I'm a Death Eater's son."

Harry was quiet for a long time, until he said, "Are you going to be a Death Eater?"

Draco sighed. "I don't see how it matters. We can't go on. Things will just go back to normal. We'll pretend this never happened."

"But it matters to me," Harry pleaded. His eyes were wide as he stared at Draco.

Draco had to look away. He was breaking this off. And anyway, it wouldn't hurt to tell Harry. It wasn't as if he could tell other people and get him in trouble. People already knew. "I'm undecided."

Harry nodded. Right when Draco was about to get up and leave he said, "We can make this work. We just have to work for it."

"Harry!" Draco snapped. Why couldn't he understand? "It won't work, haven't you been listening to me?"

"Yes, but if we -"

"No," Draco cut in, standing up and looking down at the brunette. "It's not like we even have feelings for each other. This thing we had going on, this fling, it means nothing. I was bored, you were bored, and snogging was something to do." Harry gaped. "All I wanted was to get in your trousers, Harry! That's it, nothing more." However, as Draco said that he knew. He knew that it didn't matter if they'd only gotten together Monday, he wanted more. He wanted something else.

He couldn't take the hurt Harry was trying so desperately to conceal. Draco turned around and walked out without a backward glance. He was half hoping Harry would stop him and say something but he never did. And it wouldn't have worked, Draco reminded himself.

He walked into the cooking room and entered his kitchen. Weasley and Granger both looked at him. Draco could tell they were suspicious of what he might have done to Harry. Oliver peered in concern at him. Draco managed to conjure up a sneer, but it was half-arsed.

He opened the stove to check on the food. It was burnt. Harry didn't come out of the loo until the class was over.

XxXxX

When Harry walked back into the cooking room, he knew class was almost over. He had tried that because, frankly, he didn't want to see Draco. He was mad, sad, and confused.

Draco looked over at him, but Harry didn't enter their kitchen. He walked over to Ron and Hermione. Harry wanted desperately to tell Draco he hadn't cried, he was just thinking, because that's probably what Draco thought. But he didn't want to talk to Draco.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked. "Did Malfoy do something?"

He looked in panic at her. How'd she know?

"Yeah," Ron said. "We saw him follow you off to the loo. Want me to sock him?" He glared daggers at the blond.

"No, it's fine, let's go." For everyone was finishing up with cleaning and leaving now. Draco was the first one out of the room. He glanced at Harry, but he refused to meet the grey eyes.

At the edge of the muggle town, Ron asked, "What's with you and Malfoy?"

Harry stumbled. "Huh?"

"You and Malfoy. Why'd you partner with him today?"

Harry looked between Ron and Hermione's faces and knew he would have to say something. They wouldn't drop it without an answer. "Erm…"

"It's alright, Harry," Hermione said. "We know about you and Malfoy."

Harry's eyes widened significantly. Had they seen them but didn't tell Harry? There was no way, Ron wouldn't be able to hide that he knew. Definitely not that it was Draco.

"Why?" Ron groaned. "Why'd you have to go and become friends with Malfoy of all people?"

Harry almost smiled in relief. "It's nothing, Ron. We're not friends."

"Then why were you acting like it?" Hermione chimed in.

Harry stopped to bend over and retie his trainer. "Well, we're not anymore, okay? It was a mistake."

"Oh," Hermione said in fake sympathy. Harry gave her a small smile for trying. Ron, on the other hand, laughed in joy.

"Good, we thought you'd gone barmy!" Hermione whacked him on the shoulder. Harry stood and set off down the sidewalk. "But, why'd you become friends with him anyway?"

He bit his lip and sighed, the sides of his mouth blowing out from the strange movement. "Erm, I don't know. I was stupid? I thought he might not be so bad. I thought he could change." For me, he added silently. How could he have been so foolish?

Ron kicked a rock and grinned dubiously at him. "Malfoy's a git. He's going to be a Death Eater, mark my words. How could he change?"

"I don't know, okay?" he said crossly. It was just dandy that they had to question him when he wasn't in a good mood. Right after he'd been dumped. By Malfoy. Harry would have laughed at the lunacy of that if he weren't upset.

Hermione smiled and touched his elbow. Harry inclined his head her way.

"You sure it's over?" Ron pressed. Harry and Hermione sent him twin glares, though Hermione's was sharper while Harry's lacked the bite.

He felt his stomach churn as he replied, "Yes, Ron. It's over for good."


	4. Part Four

Title: Kiss the Cook (4/4)  
Rating: PG13  
Length: 7136 words, part 4 of 4:  
Genre: Romance/Humor/Drama  
Pairings: Harry/Draco and minor Ron/Hermione  
Summary: Harry, Ron, and Hermione take cooking classes over the summer after fifth year. Draco starts thinking for himself, which doesn't go over well. Cooking, fire, loos, kisses, betrayal, and secrets.  
Disclaimer: Not my characters, quotes, or even idea. : ( But my words!  
Note: Written for humpday101 using the prompt 'I think I forgot' (fluff), andhpchallenge with the word 'banana.' The idea of the trio taking cooking classes to get away from things is credited to Remus's Nymph.  
_Last Part! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!_  
_

* * *

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_Wednesday August 14, 1996_

"What are you looking at?" Nashira asked, pointing the mixing spoon at Draco.

Draco jumped and stared at her, his eyes wide. He imagined he resembled a wizard caught at wand point. He mumbled "Nothing," and continued putting the ingredients into the fridge. That was the third time in the past half hour Nashira had caught him staring at Harry. But Draco couldn't help it. He was starting to regret what happened yesterday.

It still stood that Harry and him were so incompatible it wasn't even funny, but Draco wanted him. He didn't dare let the notion pass his mind that he had actual feelings for the brunette. There was no way that could happen in two days. No, it was more like getting a new toy and wanting to spend as much time as possible playing with it. Only, Harry wasn't simply a toy, and Draco had no clue to what he was trying to convince himself of.

He shut the fridge door with a snap and helped Nashira by using the beater to make the batter smooth. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Harry talking to Weasley, both their faces alit with excitement. Draco desperately wanted to know what they were talking about. And why wasn't Harry upset by the end of their relationship? Yesterday, he had wanted them to continue but now, now he was smiling and talking like nothing happened. It wasn't right that Draco couldn't stop thinking about it. Draco started to sneer in Harry's direction when -

"Oww, shite!" He yanked his hand away from the beater and cradled it against his chest. The bloody thing had caught his fingertips, starting to bring them around with it. Nashira rushed over and turned it off.

"What'd you do?" she asked crossly. Draco figured she was still mad about him not telling her what he'd been staring at all those times.

Anger etched his face and he spat out, "Me? It did that!" He waved his unhurt hand at the machine and silently cursed all things muggle.

Nashira rolled her eyes, and then Draco saw Dolly padding over. "You alright, dear? Run it under some cold water, you'll be fine." Draco scowled. He _was_ going to do that but now that she said it, he didn't want to. He couldn't just do what she said. He huffed and waited for her to walk away before wincing from his red fingers.

"You really should put that under water." Draco looked up to find Harry had moved into the empty kitchen beside them. His green eyes were a mixture of concern and disbelief.

Draco sighed. Now he really couldn't hold it under water. Not after Harry told him to. He may be unable to stop thinking about the Gryffindor, but he wasn't about to do everything he said. Then he caught the sight of Weasley heading over. Maybe if he got Harry to understand why he didn't want people to know about them he would agree, and they could get back together in secret.

"You're not going to suck it better?" Draco pouted, recalling when Harry had sucked on his batter-coated finger.

Harry gave him a weird look that quickly changed to a wince when Weasley gasped.

Weasley tugged on Harry's sleeve and asked, "What's he mean by that, Harry?"

Harry allowed Weasley to pull him back to their kitchen, but not before giving Draco another weird look, that one mingled with hope.

"Yes, what do you mean?" Nashira's probing voice said from behind him. Draco turned on the faucet and stuck his hand under the flowing liquid to avoid talking. Luckily, by the time he stopped, Nashira had either given up or forgotten.

XxXxX

With an hour left in the class and their food done for the day, Dolly announced that they would be working on finding a recipe for the cooking contest and making sure all the ingredients were available. That was how Draco found himself in the library, squashed between narrow rows of bookshelves, looking at tomes of books.

The hair on Draco's neck riffled softly, and he could hear someone breathing behind him. "What do you want?" he asked irritably. He was still angry about getting his fingers caught in the beater.

"Same thing you do," Harry whispered into his ear. Draco almost jumped. The same thing? He wanted to get back together? And in private?

Draco couldn't contain a smirk as he turned around, his back pressed against the shelf. "In secret?" He had to make sure they were on the same page.

"Erm." Harry blinked. "Why would I want to get a cookbook in private?"

Draco frowned. "Never mind."

He turned back to the shelf and didn't acknowledge Harry anymore, though he could feel a prickling at his neck, notifying him that Harry was staring at him.

Harry cleared his throat. "Are you saying you want to date?"

"Yes," Draco whispered, not turning to look at him. It was easier to say something truthful and embarrassing like that when you couldn't see the other person.

"But you don't want anyone to know?" the brunette questioned, his fingers curling on Draco's right shoulder.

"Yes." He jerked his shoulder forward, making Harry's hand fell off.

There was a long silence. Draco figured Harry wasn't going to say anything. He grabbed a book and stood, turning to walk away. Harry was directly behind him, blocking his way.

"I want us to get back together, too," he whispered.

"But," Draco prompted, spotting the regretful look in Harry's eyes.

"I don't want to hide it."

With his hands placed on Harry's chest, he shoved him away. As Draco headed back to the cooking class, where most everyone was, he called softly, "What was the use of bringing it up if wasn't because you changed your mind?"

He heard Harry curse quietly from the bookshelves and smiled. At least Harry was suffering from their choice too.

Ten minutes later, Draco watched Harry walk back into the cooking room, a book folded in the crook of his arm. He headed straight for Draco, where he stopped and sat the book on the counter. Draco gazed at him from his perch on a stool, his eyes narrowed in curiosity.

Harry shot Nashira a look that clearly said 'Leave.' Draco was intrigued.

Nashira grumbled but wondered away.

"Fine," Harry growled. He looked very unhappy. "It'll be in secret. No one will know. Happy?"

Draco was. It was what he wanted so much more than he understood. He looked into the sour face of Harry, _his_ Harry that had wanted it so much he agreed to what he wanted. Draco couldn't contain a wide grin. Nor could he stop himself from slipping off the stool and meeting Harry's eager lips with his own.

Someone gasped; Draco wasn't sure which of them, and then their mouths were open, tongues tussling together. Draco's fingers rubbed the soft skin at the waistband of Harry's jeans, eliciting a small shiver. He felt Harry's hands making their way up to his hair. Draco couldn't allow that. He'd spent lots of time working on his hair that morning as it wouldn't cooperate.

Draco bit down on Harry's bottom lip, not hard enough to cut but hard enough to catch his attention. Harry's mouth opened wider and he purred. It just figured that he would like it rough.

Hands dug through Draco's hair and he felt Harry mutter "So soft," against his lips. The puffs of air felt so very good against his wet mouth.

"Harry!" someone yelled, astonished.

Draco jumped away from Harry. Oh shite! And Harry had just agreed to tell no one about them. Draco cursed his lack of self-restraint.

"Well?" Granger demanded, walking over to them. She stopped before them, her foot tapping impatiently. Weasley rushed over behind her. His eyes were wide, mouth gaping, and ears red. Draco thought he looked hilarious.

"Erm," Harry started. Draco looked at him to find he had a slightly dazed look on his face. Was he like that the last time they'd kissed? Draco couldn't remember. "Well, we're dating. I think."

Draco couldn't help it; he laughed. It started out as a small rumble in the back of his throat then burst out softly until he was bent over, clutching his stomach. The situation was so awful. Nashira had ties and the ability to tell Lucius. Weasley and Granger were going to strangle him…and maybe Harry if he went by their expressions. Lucius was going to kill him. And it was all Draco's fault; though, he decided he was going to blame it on Harry too. He just had to say that when there were people around instead of at the library.

Concerned hands pulled him up straight. Draco was laughing so hard tears were pooling in his eyes. He hoped he wasn't actually crying. That would be beyond embarrassing, though he supposed if he was he could let it slide, because he really _was_ royally screwed.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked apprehensively. Draco buried his face into Harry's chest, his laughter slowing down and coming out in odd bursts. He felt arms encircle him, holding him there. Despite the situation, Draco couldn't help but love it.

He needed a plan, and quickly. Forget about Weasley and Granger, he had bigger problems. Nashira. He had to talk to her, convince her. He pulled away from Harry and looked around. Nashira was near the window, staring at them, her face clearly depicting surprise. Draco wished he hadn't been so mean to her today.

"Harry, why?" Granger asked. Draco looked between the Gryffidnors, trying to decide if he wanted to stay or go to Nashira. But then Harry's hand closed over his own, and he decided that talking to Nashira could wait a bit.

"I don't know. We just…did." Harry shrugged.

Weasley gurgled, his harsh gaze pinned on Draco. "What'd you do to him?" he roared, launching himself at Draco, who gaped in surprise and was, thankfully, yanked behind Harry.

"Ron!" Harry yelled. Granger sunk her nails into Weasley's hand, which, oddly enough, calmed him. "Look, I know it's hard to believe. _I_ can hardly believe it. But I like Draco, and I know you don't, but I'm not asking for your permission."

A gag resounded from the other side of the room. Draco looked over, his face flushing at the sight. He had completely forgotten other people were in the room. Dolly was behind her desk, her hands frozen in front of her, a cup of tea in them. She was giving them a peculiar look. April and Mary were giving them disgusted looks and whispering together. Carmen was the one gagging, and Oliver was smiling from beside her. When Draco caught Keiko's eyes she blushed and turned back to her cookbook.

"His parents are Death Eaters," Granger hissed.

Harry bit his lip, and Draco was interested to hear his reply. "He's not his parents, is he?" Harry said.

Granger rolled her eyes but nodded grudgingly. "But does he want to be?" She shot him a scrutinizing look.

Draco sneered and said, "I don't see how that's any of your business." Granger bristled and Harry passed a hand over his face.

"But Harry," Weasley whined. The three of them looked at him, slightly surprised that he had said something. "You said no one in their _right mind_ would fancy Malfoy."

"You did say that, you know," Draco smiled and poked him in the side.

Harry grinned. "I did, didn't I? Well, I'm _not_ in my right mind." Draco pretended to be hurt by that, but he couldn't because really, he didn't think he was in his right mind either.

"I'm going to go talk to Nashira," Draco said, cutting Granger off before she could say something. Harry gave him a desperate look, but Draco walked off anyway. Making sure Nashira told no one was much more important than trying to get Weasley and Granger to not die from the absurdity of it all.

Nashira turned and looked out the window when Draco strode over. He really wished he had been nicer to her today.

"Hello," Draco said.

"So, you're gay?" she asked, her voice hard. Draco didn't answer straight away. Was he?

"I don't like to use labels," was all he said. Then he didn't have to think about what it meant, dating Harry.

She huffed and swiveled in her chair to face him. "But why him? You said you hate him."

"I do. Did. Oh, not anymore. Everything changed. Look," he rested his fingertips on her leg and waited until she looked him in the eye. "Are you going to tell anyone? Because if David's told you everything, like you said, you know I would be in so much trouble. My father would probably try to kill me. Please?" He hid a scowl; he hated saying please to anyone. He despised having to put so much faith in someone else.

Nashira sighed. "Fine. But only because I like you." She stared out the window, over the city. "I won't tell anyone. Definitely not David."

Draco patted her knee and kissed her cheek before striding back to the Gryffindors. They were now conversing in the corner. When he stood next to Harry, they all fell silent.

"Nothing you can say will change my decision," Harry said. His eyes were pleading with them, and Draco deduced that it was eating him up inside not to have his friends backing him up in something.

Granger nodded reluctantly. Weasley glared at Draco. "I hate you."

Draco snorted. "I hate you too."

Weasley looked away and folded Granger against his chest. Draco pushed his foot against Harry's, not comfortable showing anything else besides that. But Harry smiled wearily at him and pushed back against Draco's foot. Maybe it would all be fine.

XxXxX

The walk back to the Burrow had been a very tense affair. As had the hours spent in the Burrow. Ron wasn't talking to him and the very few times he would it was to try to reinforce his take on the whole situation: that Draco had done something to Harry, making him feel that way. If Harry heard the words 'love potion' one more time he figured he might flip. Hermione was more mature about it, as was to be expected. Only, Harry wasn't. He didn't want to sit down for hours discussing with Hermione the pros and cons of dating Draco Malfoy. He didn't want to talk about it period.

"Hey, you lot!" Ginny beamed, tugging her bag through the door into the living room. "Luna's was so much fun! Her dad's as barmy as her. I think I split my side from trying not to laugh aloud at them." She chuckled and flopped onto the couch between Ron and Hermione. Harry watched her from the armchair.

Slowly, her delighted face morphed into confusion. "What's wrong? Did you two have a big fight, again?" She glanced at the people on either side of her. Ron huffed and Hermione shook her head. Ginny looked to Harry, but he diverted his eyes.

After a silence, Ginny prodded Ron's arm. "What's going on?"

Ron slouched into the cushions and glanced at Harry before looking back at her. Harry braced himself, knowing he was going to tell her. "Harry's got a boyfriend," he informed her in a neutral voice. It sounded so strange to Harry's ears.

Ginny nodded then gasped. She gazed at Harry in horror. Harry offered her a half smile. "Not - not Malfoy?"

Harry bit his lip and looked at the floor. Apparently that was all she needed for she gasped again, clasping her hands over her mouth.

"Yes!" Ron growled. He slouched even more and propped his feet up on the coffee table.

"How'd you know?" Hermione questioned. Harry figured she was upset Ginny guessed it when she hadn't.

"You never said anything about you liking him back," Ginny wailed, her eyes shining in hurt. "And _Malfoy_? That's such an insult." Harry didn't get how fancying Draco was an insult. An insult to whom? But he shrugged lightly and peered past the couch so he wouldn't have to look at them.

"Ginny," Harry started. He looked her in the eye, figuring she deserved that much. She had listened to him talk about Draco and gave him that nifty spell, after all.

"Why didn't you owl me?"

Harry chewed on his tongue. "I didn't - he - we didn't want to tell anyone. Look, I know it's surprising. But I care about him and he cares about me -"

"He's a Malfoy, Harry," Ron groaned, staring incredulously at him. "Are you sure you didn't drink anything weird from him?"

"I'm sure!" Harry snapped. Why couldn't his friends just trust him? "I didn't take any love potions or get hit by an insane curse. Okay!"

Ginny poked Ron in the arm, making his mouth fall shut. Hermione sighed and turned her head to look out the front door Ginny had forgotten to shut.

"Are you sure he cares about you?" Ginny asked. Hermione looked in interest at him.

Harry's gut twisted unpleasantly. He was pretty sure. Draco had wanted to get back together, and it couldn't be just for physical gratification or Draco would have tried more than simply kissing and touching. "Yeah, I'm sure."

"Oh." She tried to look impassive but Harry could see her bottom lip trembling softly. He felt guilt rise up in him, for what he didn't know. Soon after that, Hermione escorted Ginny out of the room.

XxXxX

Draco was about to turn in for bed when a house elf popped in front of his door.

"Move!" Draco commanded. The bloody things were always getting in the way.

"Sorry, Master. Master Lucius is telling me to fetch you." She rang her hands in the pillowcase draping pathetically off her shoulders.

Draco scowled. "Well, where is he?"

The grungy elf jumped and squeaked, "The ballroom, Master. Sorry, Master!"

With a shake of the head, Draco headed down the steps and into the ballroom. It was Lucius' favorite room so Draco was not surprised to hear he was in there. When he walked through the doorway he found his mother and father arguing. Lucius was waving a letter around angrily while Narcissa looked frightened.

Draco cleared his throat and said, "You called." Their talking ceased, and they stared at him. Lucius' face was swathed in disgust.

"Come here, Draco! You - I want en explanation and it better be a damn good one!"

He couldn't make his feet move. Had they found out about Harry and him? How? Nashira must have told, he decided. At the sight of Narcissa's disappointed stance, his feet, thankfully, moved. He stopped in front of his parents, making sure to let no emotion show on his face.

"Yes, you should be scared, Draco," Lucius crackled. Draco couldn't suppress a shiver. Maybe he wasn't so good at hiding his emotions.

Draco mustered the courage to look into Lucius' flashing eyes. "What did I do?" he asked.

The letter crinkled as Lucius spread it out and handed it over. As Draco read it he knew his reactions would be readable on his face, but he couldn't help it. That bitch! She'd told about everything. About Harry and him, them snogging, seemingly caring for each other. He felt utter betrayal. He had liked Nashira. He said bloody 'please' to her.

"It's a loud of bull. None of that's true." He looked both of them in the eyes. "You know me better than that. Honestly," he scoffed and shook his head, feigning amusement.

Lucius ignored him to instead muse, "It all makes sense now. Why you're leaving us for their side." He gave Draco a hard look. "It's because you're fucking Potter. I'll have you know this will not be handled lightly." And then he drew out his wand, pointing it at Draco.

Draco was frozen to the spot. Lucius had never used a curse on him before. He watched the wand and saw it was shaking slightly. He liked to think it was because Lucius couldn't do it, but a glance at his face showed the truth; he was consumed with fury.

"Mother," Draco beseeched, hating himself for doing so, but he had no other choice; he'd left his wand upstairs. Lucius was going to kill him! "I didn't. I - you." He was shaking so hard and trying to look anywhere but at the threat in front of him.

"Pleading will do you no good, Draco," Lucius said, his voice low and evil-like. Draco had never heard that tone from him before. He was starting to see why others feared him so. "Would you like a _crucio_? Or should I just finish you off here and now?"

Sobs suddenly erupted from beside them. Both males looked to the source of it. Narcissa had buried her face in her hands, and tears were leaking through the cracks between her fingers. Lucius seemed momentarily stunned, and Draco was looking in morbid fascination. He had never seen his mother cry except for when Lucius was put in Azkaban.

"Lucius!" she croaked when he turned back to Draco, his wand moving for a spell. "My son! Our son. Our only son." Her sobs consumed her, restricting her vocal cords.

Lucius swiveled his head at her. "Narcissa! Stop that foolish crying this instant. It's not fit for a Malfoy."

Narcissa garbled something between her tears that sounded like 'is a Black.' Lucius laughed coldly. "You _were_ a Black. _Now_ you are a Malfoy, and we punish those who betray us. Draco has made an ultimate betrayal."

Draco jumped back when Narcissa launched herself in between them. "I will not let you k-kill him, Lucius. Why," she hiccupped but luckily, her sobs stayed down. Draco was glad, because having someone sticking up for you when they were crying was embarrassing. "Why not inform the Dark Lord in the morning?" She glanced at Draco, her gaze watery. "He can decide what to do with Draco."

Draco gasped loudly. _He_ betrayed them? What was Narcissa doing? She wanted him to not be a Death Eater! This was all her fault. If she hadn't implanted the thought in his brain - but Draco knew that he hadn't thought anything about getting with Harry so he would have protection. Hell, he hadn't even decided if he wanted to be a Death Eater, though he supposed this sealed his choice.

Lucius looked in delight at the fear in Draco's eyes. "Fine. The Dark Lord can do with Draco as he wants. After all, It was him he betrayed most of all." Narcissa grabbed his hands, kissed his palm, and murmured her thanks. Draco looked away. It reminded him too strongly of Narcissa pleading to get Lucius out of jail. "But you do realize Draco will most likely be killed."

She pulled away and turned to Draco. "I know." She gave him a tearful smile and cupped his face. She let her fingers trail down his cheeks, and then walked out of the room. Draco could only stare in horror at her back.

"You'll get what you deserve. Trust me. It will not be pretty." The cloak his father was wearing brushed against Draco's leg as he walked past, causing him to shudder. "You're to go to your room and stay there."

Draco allowed himself to breath once he heard Lucius' footsteps falling away with soft thuds. Then he heard Lucius' cloak flutter and the word, "_Crucio_!" yelled through hated lips.

The blinding pain didn't last long, but he ended up lying on a heap on the floor, one eye cracked open, watching for Lucius to walk out and shut the door behind him so he could relax.

* * *

_Thursday August 15, 1996_

When Harry arrived at the cooking class Thursday it was with an excitement to see someone who wouldn't look at him as if he had gone insane. Someone who would be happy to see him. However, that person wasn't there.

For an hour and a half, Harry blundered through making what he did not know with Ron and Hermione. The three of them were unusually quiet. But Harry didn't notice because of what had happened to Draco. Why wasn't he there? What if Lucius and Narcissa had found out some how? Harry wasn't sure how they could find out, though.

He dumped a plate in the sink and started scrubbing at it with the sponge. Maybe they could do legimency and had simply read it from Draco's mind.

"Harry," Ron said. "Using water would help."

Harry nodded absently and turned the water on. He spared a single thought that the food really did come off easier when water was added, but then he was back to worrying about Draco. Who knew what they would do to him.

Hermione tapped his arm. "Harry, he was supposed to be here today, wasn't he?"

Harry looked at her and nodded. "I don't get it."

Ron turned off the water and stood on Harry's other side.

"His parents might have found out. Unless that was the plan all along." Harry glared at her for even thinking Draco would do that. "Sorry, Harry. But why did he even go to these classes?"

"I-" Harry broke off and frowned. "He never told me."

"He refused to say?" Hermione's eyes were wide as she said that. Harry could practically hear the cogs turning in her head, but that wasn't how it was.

"No. I think I forgot to ask him." He tossed the sponge into the sink. "This is insane! We have to rescue him. What if they try to kill him?" Frantically he tugged at the hair brushing against his ear.

"Why do you care so much?" Ron spoke up. "I mean, you said you two only got together on Monday. Well, that's not that long ago."

Harry frowned and shook his head wildly. "I don't know, okay. All I know is that it matters what happened - is happening - to him. I'll get him with or without your help." He squared his shoulders and started developing a plan. He had his invisibility cloak, so that would come in handy.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione whispered. "Look, if he's not here tomorrow, we'll let the Order know. They can do something. And it won't be reckless like a plan of yours would be. You don't even know where the Malfoys live. He could just be sick, Harry."

Ron nodded and touched Harry's elbow. "I don't like him, you know that. And I don't like that you're…dating him. But I'll help you. Just wait." Ron awkwardly removed his hand. Apparently he thought what he had said was too mushy for he chuckled and said, "Won't you feel stupid when he comes in tomorrow and says he just skipped out?"

Harry agreed to wait. It was, after all, his rash decision at the end of last year that resulted in the tragedy of Sirius. He wouldn't let that happen again. But if Draco didn't turn up tomorrow, there was going to be hell to pay.

* * *

_Friday August 16, 1996_

The light wasn't even slinking around the corners of his thick curtains when he roused that morning. He blinked and rubbed at his eyes. Usually he didn't wake so early.

"Draco," someone whispered into the dark. He recognized the voice of Narcissa. Well, that explained why he had woken up. He sat up in his bed, his muscles panging slightly, a reminder of what Lucius had done to him the night before.

"Mother?" Draco whispered back coldly. It was she who had given Lucius the idea to hand him over to the Dark Lord. And Draco had always thought she liked him.

She muttered "_Lumos_," and soft light filled the room. Draco took in the sight of her. Her eyes were red and puffy, as if she had been crying all night. Her hair was rumpled, and she was wearing an elegant nightgown filled with creases. "Come, Draco."

"Where are we going?" he asked, climbing out of bed and slipping a shirt on.

She looked sadly at him. "You're leaving. Pack what you want. But silently. We mustn't let Lucius hear."

Draco nodded and looked around his room. He couldn't believe it. Narcissa was helping him. Perhaps this had been her plan all along. He still didn't understand why, though. As he collected his clothes and more personal possessions, he asked, "Why are you doing this? Why don't you want me to become a Death Eater?"

Narcissa sighed heavily. "The world is a dangerous place, Draco. I want you to be safe. I'm your mother and I may be a Malfoy, but I love you, darling. Oh," she gasped softly. "I can't remember the last time I've said that. You were so little."

Draco turned around to collect his money. He hoped she wasn't going to start crying again.

Quietly, they crept through the house until they reached the door. Narcissa muttered a spell, passing her wand over it and then opened the door, walking out with him. She explained, "Lucius put spells on to notify him if you tried to sneak out." She grabbed his shoulders, staring into his eyes. "You screwed yourself over. You know, when I told you to get in with Potter I didn't mean literally."

Draco went to speak but Narcissa shook her head and stroked his hair. "But that doesn't matter now. Draco, I want you to promise me something. Promise me you will go to your Potter and tell him what happened. He can help you, him and his Order. Okay?"

Draco stared into his mother's hopeful face. He nodded. There was nothing else for him to do anyway. And Harry would be glad to help him. He had a saving streak a mile long. "I promise." Wait…He looked at her. "Won't you get in trouble for helping me?"

Narcissa waved her hand absently. "Not if they don't find out, and I don't plan on that. Just go. Go now, before an elf makes its check on your room and tells Lucius you're not there."

Draco's eyes widened at that information. He hadn't even known the elves were checking up on him. "Wait. Do you know why Nashira told?" He was still smarting about that. He couldn't believe he had liked her and she went and did that.

"Oh, once we were told about Potter being there, Lucius had her watch you." She bent forward and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Be safe, my darling."

Draco was boiling was rage. She was spying on him! He grabbed his broom and jumped on harshly. He heard Narcissa sniffle, and he looked at her. "Don't cry," he said, grimacing slightly.

She dabbed at her eyes. "Don't get caught. Go straight to that class." She held out a bag, which Draco took. "It's some muggle money for a cab. Your vault key is also in there, so you have money. I have a copy of the key, so if you ever want to send me messages don't owl it. It'll be too dangerous. You can put it in your vault, and I'll find it. I'll do the same for you." Her smile was watery and Draco felt guilty.

He opened his mouth then closed it. "I love you," he whispered into the night air between them. Narcissa drew in a sharp breath then smiled brightly.

"Thank you, Draco. Now go. I want a letter in the vault by Monday so I know you're alive and well."

Draco nodded and flew off into the cold air. He tried not to look behind him but he did. It was dark in at the doorway but he could still see her white-blonde hair, mussed from the night. His heart clenched painfully. Who knew it would be so hard to leave your home of sixteen years, headed to where you didn't know.

XxXxX

The cooking contest was going well. Mainly, the only people that actually had a chance to win were Hermione, Oliver, and Nashira. Harry, angry about Draco not arriving at the class again, had simply dipped a banana in chocolate and tossed it in the freezer. Ron, following Harry's example, had slathered peanut butter on his and was spending the rest of the time using a knife to carve a face and hair into the peanut butter.

Harry's eyes were glued to the clock. Why was the class going so bloody slow?

"Harry, the more you look at the clock, the slower it'll go," Ron said.

"Oh, shut it and go back to making faces in your bloody peanut butter," Harry snapped.

Ron frowned and set his knife on the counter. Hermione bustled by them with more eggs, dropping one so that it fell to the floor and cracked. "Oh, crap!" She looked around for Dolly then said, "Oh well." And went to her mixing bowl.

Ron raised his gaze from the egg to look at Harry. "I can't believe I'm going to say this but I really hope Malfoy shows up soon. You're so crabby."

Harry glared at him, but then the door opened and Draco walked in. His hair was a mess, and he looked dead tired. Hermione gasped and stopped her frenzied cooking for a second. Harry felt like he could kiss Ron. Right when he said that Draco had walked in. But instead of kissing Ron, which didn't appeal to him, he ran across the room to Draco.

"No," he said, pushing his hand out, his eyes focused on the other side of the room. Harry stopped and stared at him. What the heck? But then Draco was crossing the room heatedly, heading straight for Nashira. Harry followed after.

"You bitch," he growled and before Harry or Nashira knew it, Draco's hand connected with the side of her face.

She gasped and clutched at her cheek. "Draco! I - oww."

Harry grabbed his arm and held it back for he was going to hit her again. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Look, Draco! I'm really sorry. I like you - I do. I was just angry and hurt." She pouted and Harry saw Draco's hard eyes didn't waver. "I actually fancy you. That's why I was angry. I'm really sorry."

Harry looked between them, not understanding a thing. "Draco?" he questioned again, pressing his fingers into Draco's wrists.

"She told my parents about us," he said, eyes never leaving Nashira. Harry's confusion turned into anger. So Draco _had _been held at his house because they knew. He glared at Nashira. There was no way she could get away with that.

He leapt forward, Draco's laughter at his motions in his ears, but Dolly bustled over, screaming at them to stop.

"There will be no fighting in my class! Stop this instant!" She gave them a stern look Harry didn't even think she possessed. "I want you two away from her. Yes, back to your kitchen, Harry."

As they walked back, Harry could feel everyone's eyes on them. Draco was still chortling beside him. Once they reached the kitchen with Ron and Hermione, Harry could hold back no longer.

He kissed Draco with all he had, shoving all his fear, anger, and worry into it. Draco returned it with equal passion. When they parted, their lips red and breath short, Ron squeaked then said, "I take it back. I'm not sure if I want him here now."

Hermione shoot Harry a quick half-smile before turning back to her banana cake.

"So, where were you?" Harry asked, threading his fingers through Draco's mussed hair. Ron looked back over, and Hermione slowed in her working to hear.

"Bloody muggle cabs. They're so slow. And I didn't know how to get one to stop," he scowled, his fingers skittering under Harry's shirt, running over his stomach.

Harry frowned. "Why'd you come in a muggle cab?"

Draco took a deep breath before saying, "It's a long story." After being encouraged by Harry and his friends, he started.

Harry was horrified to find out Draco had been _crucio_'d and that they were going to hand him over to Voldemort. As Draco said that Harry had scooted his stool closer and clasped Draco's hands in his own. He was surprised about Narcissa helping him, but he reasoned that he had never really met her except at the Quidditch world cup and that was briefly. He decided he was going to have to send her a thank you note for getting Draco out. Only, that would sound a bit awkward.

After Draco told about flying until he got to a muggle spot then trying to find a cab, Ron walked over to Hermione, where they had a whispered conversation while they waited for her cake to be finished in the stove.

Harry and Draco had simply sat on the stools, close to each other. Harry was content to just have Draco close and know he was safe.

"How come you went to these classes anyway?" he asked, remembering the conversation with Ron and Hermione yesterday.

Draco sighed, his breath ghosting over Harry's lips. "My father was mad when I said I wasn't sure if I wanted to be a Death Eater. So this was my punishment. And I was supposed to find information on you." He smiled softly. "I sucked at that part."

Harry smiled and pressed their lips together chastely. They spent the rest of the class talking softly and stealing kisses every now and then until Dolly announced that it was time for the judging.

"I don't have anything!" Draco said. "It doesn't really matter, does it?"

Ron snorted while he watched Hermione trying to perfect the frosting on her cake. "Give him half of your not frozen banana."

Harry smiled and tore it in half, the still liquidly chocolate getting everywhere.

"I think it's my turn to suck something off you," Draco said slyly, a predatory look on his face. Harry shoved him away and sucked on his own fingers. Dolly was walking over, and he didn't want her to see that. However, it sure sounded appealing.

Dolly gave Harry and Ron's bananas a look, her eyebrows quirking as she tried not to smile. Draco was already eating his. His mouth was opened wide around it, his cheeks hollowing out as he sucked the chocolate off. Harry could only stare.

In the back of his mind, he heard Dolly's sounds of delight as she tried Hermione's. But then Draco was licking the tip of the banana teasingly, sending tingles through Harry's body.

"Ugg," Ron grumbled, pulling Harry's head away from Draco. "I'm sitting next to you. Don't do anything like that. And just eat the bloody banana!" for Draco had deep-throated it, his lips curling into a smile around it. "I hope you choke," Ron muttered.

Draco laughed and tossed the banana in the trashcan, the bag rustling from the movement. "I just wanted the chocolate," he explained to Harry.

A few minutes later Dolly stood in front of Nashira. "And the winner of our little cooking contest is Nashira. Although it was a very close one with Oliver and Hermione very close behind her. Congratulations!" She handed her a gift card for a restaurant and continued with some speech about how she was going to miss them all and hoped they had a fun time.

Hermione looked sourly at her cake, which Ron was already digging into. Harry grabbed two slices and handed one to Draco. "Mmm," he said through a mouthful. He swallowed and said, "This is good, Hermione. Much better than that coffeecake."

"Ouw shout ave on," Ron said, crumbs spilling out of his mouth as he spoke. Harry grinned and Draco grimaced.

Hermione shook her head wearily at him. "Don't speak with your mouth full, Ron."

"I said, you should have won." He smiled at her and she grinned back sadly, eyes darting to Nashira.

Draco bumped his elbow against Harry's and said to Hermione, "Nashira's a bitch. She probably cheated. Besides, I have to say, this is pretty good, for a muggleborn." Hermione smiled wryly at him. He smirked back.

Harry looked between the two of them. Maybe they could get along eventually. When they got back to school, he hoped everything would be the same as this summer, as right now.

"So, where are you staying at now?" Hermione asked. Draco frowned.

Harry bit the cake off Draco's spoon while he wasn't looking. "Do you have anywhere to go?" Harry asked, his fingers tracing circles on the underside of Draco's wrists.

"Well," Draco started, turning to face Harry and away from Ron and Hermione. Harry stopped tracing on Draco's wrist, interested in whom Draco was staying with. "My mother has this absurd idea that you and the Order can help me."

"Absurd is right," Ron said, shoveling more cake into his mouth when Hermione hit him to be quiet.

Harry didn't dare get his hopes up but it was an idea. There would be a lot of convincing but Draco could stay at the Burrow with them. He looked over at Ron and Hermione.

"I thought you'd want that. You would have to talk to Mrs. And Mr. Weasley, though." She looked at Draco. "And you'd have to be…tolerable."

"What do you say?" Harry asked eagerly. He wasn't sure if it would be good or bad for their quick progressing relationship but if it kept Draco safe, he was willing to risk it. Plus, he just plain wanted to have Draco around.

Draco sighed and looked at everyone. Harry noticed that Ron was looking confused. "I guess. If they let me," he muttered the last bit.

Harry beamed and reached across the distance between them when Ron spoke up. "Wait. I'm confused. Where's he staying?"

Hermione muttered, "Honestly," then said, "At your house, if your parents let him."

Ron opened his mouth to object then looked at Harry and Draco. Harry gave him a pout and Ron sighed. "Mum might say no, you know."

Draco smirked at him. "Stop lying, Weasley. Your parents adore me. It's you who's the strange one."

Harry laughed and pulled Draco to him, ignoring Ron's groan and Hermione's weary sigh. Draco licked Harry's lips, making him moan. He was sure Mrs. Weasley was going to let Draco stay. Especially after they explained. It wouldn't be a great summer. Not with Draco under a house of Weasleys, but it was sure to be interesting.

Harry pressed their lips together slowly. What was the rush? They were going to have the rest of the summer. They now had the time to do it right.


End file.
